Sword and Magic
by bluminous8
Summary: After a devastating battle in the Department of Mysteries, Harry Potter finds himself transported in a strange world in the company of Jedi Knight Aayla Secura. Is this the will of the Force that their two fates intertwine?
1. Chapter 1: Interruption

**Harry Potter: Sword and Magic**

By**: Bluminous**

A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or Star Wars

AU, Harry Potter/Star Wars crossover

Pairings: Harry Potter and Aayla Secura

This fiction is targeted for older audiences. Adult humor and Situations.

_Summary: Harry Potter, after a devastating battle in the Department of Mysteries, finds himself transported in a strange world in the company of Jedi Knight Aayla Secura. Is this the will of the Force that their two fates intertwine? _

_Harry and Aayla must struggle on through the galactic worlds to survive, in a quest to understand the purpose of their fateful meeting._

_ooo_

_Twi'lek – humanoid alien species_

_Rutian Twi'lek- rare Twi'lek that has a blue skin color._

_ARC clones – Advance Recon Commando clones, elite variant of the normal clone trooper. They are considered to be among the best trained soldiers in the galaxy at the time of the Clone Wars. _

_Acklay- Giant praying mantis like creature towering three meters high._

_ooo_

Chapter 1: **Interruption**

_Ministry of Magic, London_

The demonic entity screamed, confused as it was suddenly forced from its realm to this unfamiliar place. It noticed the strange beings hurling energies at itself and viewed them as a threat.

"No good! The skin is too thick!" A tall auror with red hair shouted as he dodged another burst of fire from the demon's mouth.

"Where did this thing come from?" Auror Tonks asked. She ducked a piece of marble that the demon's spiked tail hit, sending the pieces to the teams of aurors trying to contain it.

"It must be those idiots at the department of mysteries! Who else would experiment with banned magics! Where's Harry? We need some heavy hitters here! On the double!" Ron screamed through the chaos and watched in horror as two more of his squad got impaled by long claws.

Beams of blinding light of different hues soared above them, and the demonic entity suddenly ceased its rampage, momentarily stunned by the attack. These precious few seconds allowed the aurors to rescue some of their injured comrades unable to move on their own.

"We're here! Get your squad back!" Shacklebolt ordered as he and Auror Potter threw various curses and hexes at the thing.

"It's no good Kingsley, it's just absorbing the curses. Use force based spells" Harry Potter suggested. His wand arm blurred and he weaved his spells from his position on top of a fallen slab of marble to get a better view of the area. The large broken pieces of marble suddenly transformed into giant golems, nowhere near the size of the demonic invader, but enough to gain its attention.

Kingsley nodded and shouted. "You heard Potter! Banishing curses on three!" Eight aurors cast their strongest banishing at the creature and it had an immediate effect as the demon staggered at the consecutive impacts on its flaming body. The attack gave time for auror Weasley's decimated squad to withdraw behind Shacklebolt's relief force.

"We're barely delaying it… it will breach the walls soon if we don't stop it here," Harry observed. Half his animated marble golems were already destroyed, with the demon's deadly tail taking two or three with a single swipe.

He moved forward and changed tactics, ducking and weaving through the debris to distract the demon. "I'm going to fucking murder those unspeakables."

The demon eyed the strange being that continuously avoided its attempts to kill it. A few strong curses hit its head and it roared with anger and moved towards the figure.

"I'll draw it deeper underground, find some way to contain it before it gets loose in London!" Harry shouted, continuously avoiding streams of fire by ducking or through hastily conjured shields.

"I'll support you!" Nymphadora Tonks yelled back as she followed her subordinate's actions and baited herself. The two soon disappeared along the corridor as an angry demon smashed through the stone columns in pursuit.

The various Aurors struggled to regain their breathing. They hoped Harry Potter, vanquisher of Voldemort was enough to destroy this demon. Kingsley looked at the aurors and gave out orders.

"Weasley! Drag those Unspeakables here! Outside the law or not they will answer to this. I lost eleven aurors today, not counting the injured. Brigs, call Dumbledore, he might have some ideas to subdue this thing, or even send it back from where it came from."

Auror Brigs and Weasley nodded and ran off towards the direction opposite the demon, while Kingsley focused on the remaining Aurors uninjured, or well enough to fight. "The rest of you, form a perimeter! This thing's not going to set foot outside this Department!"

The commander of the Auror forces looked at where his best Auror vanished along with Tonks. He frowned and signaled his own squad and followed their direction.

ooo

"Shit! We're trapped!" Tonks screamed as she was backed into a wall from the unrelenting fire the Demon breathed out from its giant mouth. A tail suddenly swept towards her and she dodged, but rubble fell on top of her as the columns collapsed from the attack.

A large stone slab pinned her leg, and Tonks muffled a scream in her mouth when she tried to move herself free, no doubt her leg was broken. She closed her eyes and raised her hands as she saw the huge tail swinging back to crush her to death.

Tonks heard a large deep sound like a gong and opened her eyes, wondering why she didn't feel the crushing pain that was about to send her to the afterlife. Her eyes widened when she saw Harry was in front of her, with a golden shield formed blocking the massive fiery tail.

"Tonks… get out... free yourself!" Harry said through gritted teeth. The demon roared and slammed the weakening shield with its massive arms and Harry fell to his right knee. The translucent shield formed cracks from where it was attacked, a clear sign that it was about to collapse.

"Harry! No!" Tonks screamed and fired a couple of her strongest spells she knew at the creature. The demon staggered back but it attacked with increased ferocity.

Harry looked at his partner who was injured and trapped. The demon struck again and the cracks grew bigger on the translucent shield.

He looked around and saw a strange veil in the middle of the room, and realized he was back where his godfather had fallen during the start of second wizarding war, and also where it ended when he personally defeated Voldemort.

There was only one exit from this huge stone cavern, and if he could collapse it, the demon will be stuck here, buying his comrades valuable time to defeat it. His strength was greatly diminished when he maintained the shield, and he was running on his reserves now.

"Bye Tonks. Say hi to my godson for me." Harry smiled as blood dripped down his lips.

"Harry… what are you doing?" Tonks asked. A few seconds later her eyes widened in shock when she realized what her partner was about do.

"Don't do it." Tonks growled. "I'll hunt you down and drag you back from the underworld myself! Merlin Harry no!"

"No choice." Harry spat the blood in his mouth. He wandlessly banished his partner across the room and to the entrance with his left hand. Seeing that Tonks was clear from the attack he was about to perform he gripped his wand with both of his hands to pour more magic into the spell.

Using his legs for support, he slowly stood up, and when he got into position, he willed his shield to disappear. The Demon was suddenly off balanced when the shield it was trying to put its whole weight into suddenly vanished.

Harry used this moment and shouted.

"_VINCITA OMIAS!"_

His wand vibrated as it released the stored magic, and energy erupted from its tip. Blinding streams of light erupted from the tip of his wand and they struck the stone ceiling and the stone arch in the middle of the chamber.

The cavern shook as its integrity was compromised, and enormous slabs of stone from the roof fell, hitting the demon. The floor shifted and the ancient archway collapsed, and the ghostly veil it held flew free from an invisible wind.

The demon screamed as it was pinned down by more slabs of stone and earth, and Harry looked on with satisfaction. His sacrifice would not be in vain, he even hoped that his actions might have killed the monstrous thing.

A marble slab hit his shoulder and he staggered to his knees. He flicked his wand back to his wrist sheath and awaited his fate. It was impossible to escape now, he gave everything he got.

Harry Potter, hero of the wizarding world, collapsed as stones and rocks collapsed and fell around him.

The ghostly veil flew unobstructed on its eerie path through the rocks, and finally it gently landed on the 20 year old hero, engulfing the unconscious wizard as if fate herself tucked her precious child with a warm blanket.

Several hours later, after nonstop excavations, the ministry aurors would find the enormous body of the high level demon still warm to the touch as its magma hot skin slowly cooled. But they would despair for more hours to find the body of their heroic comrade that was not there.

Some of the more pessimistic aurors thought that their hero was consumed by the demon, or perhaps burned to dust by its fiery breathe that was as strong Fiendfyre. Others took heart when the rescue and recovery crew never found their beloved Harry Potter's body, that perhaps he was out there, somewhere, still alive.

Possibly in some other universe, even in a galaxy far, far away...

_ooo_

_**Latest HOLONET NEWS!**_

_**Clone Troops push back the Separatist Forces!**_

_The Republic Fleet chases the Decimated Separatist Fleet across the outer Rim, after their failed attempt to kidnap beloved chancellor Palpatine! Separatist Leaders flee from the onslaught from the might of the Grand Army of the Republic._

_**The Hero without fear, Anakin Skywalker kills Count Dooku in a fantastic battle!**_

_In a show of skill and devotion to the Republic, Jedi Knight and the Chancellor's confidant and close friend Anakin Skywalker reveals how he destroyed the Sith Lord!_

"_I was fighting not just for myself, but for Democracy and the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine was kidnapped by that misguided Count Dooku, in a desperate last act to force the Republic to surrender._

_The chancellor is the Republic's heart... if he falls the Republic will fall. That's why I won. I was fighting to save the Republic from anarchy, failure is not an option." Skywalker said in an earlier interview while Palpatine stood proudly by his side._

_**General Kenobi defeats Grievous on the planet Utapu with the help from ARC clone troopers! **_

_In a new development, General Kenobi destroyed the injured Confederation of Independent Forces military leader Grievous after the ARC Troopers, specially trained commando units of the clone armies, determined where the Separatist Leader was hiding. _

_The arc troopers used their incredible skill and courage to overcome the tyrant and his forces that has killed billions of citizens across hundreds of worlds by his command. _

_**Galactic Senators push for the beloved Chancellor's extension in office!**_

_**Becomes Supreme Commander!**_

_The Galactic Senate finally passed the long debated bill, the revised Security Act. Our beloved chancellor will now have broader powers to ensure the security and integrity of the republic._

_**Jedi Council pushes for the investigation on the allegations of Corruption within the Senate!**_

_"It's a ploy. The Jedi it seems, do not want to give up their power now that the War is about to come to an end. They seek greater power and greater control." Palpatine said in a brief statement. But the Chancellor keeps blocking their investigation and added. "This is a democracy, and the Jedi can't just push us around and ignore our laws!" _

ooo

_Niango, Felucia, Outer rim territory _

Aayla Secura, rutian Twi'lek and Jedi knight gazed across the open fields where the giant tree-flowers of Felucia once stood. She was on her way to one of the two water processing plants that were the source of the contamination to stop the poison at the source, but progress on the mission was slow.

Needing to contemplate for the day ahead, Aayla reached out into the force and bathed within its presence. She let it fill her, submitting to its wisdom and guidance.

Her nervousness, anticipation and doubts faded with every breath she took, and she now waited for daybreak to start the covert mission. She gazed up at the night sky, where the strike force she commanded orbited the planet. They would provide additional support, once the source of the contamination has been identified.

Three Venerator class star destroyers stood as sentinels, guarding the ground forces from sudden ambush by rogue separatist ships. They also formed a small blockade, determined and ready to shoot down any enemy ship seeking safety into separatist space.

The stars tonight at Felucia were unusually bright, as were Felucia's three blue moons. She felt something, not quite within her force perception to see but it was there.

A sudden gust of wind forced her to shield her eyes with her hand as she felt something in the distance. Something familiar, yet strange… and comforting at the same time, it was like welcoming an old friend or family after years of not having met each other.

"General Secura, you spotted something?" Clone Marshall Commander Bly asked.

The ARC trained Clone walked to her side and looked at his general with concern. Aayla usually used this time to rest before they attempted another assault in the morning.

Trust and respect developed between the 327th Star Corps and their beautiful General throughout the course of the war. The clones respected Aayla for her leadership and warrior skill, and her ability to pull off impossible feats that saved their hides hundreds of times.

Commander Bly and Aayla survived many engagements and skirmishes in the galactic war, pulling victory out of defeat in countless missions. Aayla in turn, had come to admire her clone commander, there was trust and camaraderie between them, forged and tempered through war and bloodshed- she was one of the few Jedi that called her clone commander not just an ally, but also a friend.

She was an empath, and as the only female surrounded by her regiment of male clones, she knew the emotions and desires her clones have of her. Her race was always treated as prized possessions by slavers, considered by most as the most beautiful females in the galaxy. They were sold to the rich and to the powerful, displayed as status symbols in the outer rim worlds where slavery was ripe.

The clones though, no matter how great their desires for their general, would never act upon them. They were bred to be obedient, well behaved soldiers that would willingly sacrifice themselves to save her. In fact, the 327th Star Corps grew protective of their general, bordering on possessive, although she could very well take care of herself.

They greatly admired their leader, she alone kept them together after months of suffering from the flesh eating diseases that were common in Felucia, the mud that sucked the strength from them with every step and the endless rain that seemed to sap their will to fight. It was in every sense of the word _hell_, but they had their blue angel to guide them and keep them together.

Then there were the Acklays, brought from Geonosis by the Separatist forces to further harass the clone troops. They were ridiculously resistant to blaster fire, and precious lives and ammunition were wasted in killing them. Most were slain by General Secura herself, earning the eternal gratitude and respect of her men.

"I feel something in the force Bly." Aayla whispered while she peered into the distant darkness. The wind blew again and drifted into the direction she was facing, carrying blades of grass and leaves along its wake.

_There._

"Is it another Jedi, General? Or perhaps a Sith similar to the one General Skywalker fought in Munilisk?" Bly asked as he withdrew his blaster, looking around in concern at the tightly packed vegetation that surrounded their camp.

Aayla closed her eyes and immersed herself with her surroundings, it was strange but she was sure it was not caused the dark side of the Force. Her eyes snapped open and she came to a decision.

"The separatist forces will not arrive till dusk tomorrow. I will use the time and investigate this."

"It could be a trap General Secura" Bly warned her.

Aayla turned to her friend. "No Bly it isn't. I'm sure of it. And don't roll your eyes at me, I'm an empath. Trust me, this is not a trap set by the separatists." Aayla smiled.

Bly looked at her with clear doubt on his face. "All right General, but call if you need help. I will have ARC squad four ready just in case."

_Jedi._

That single word has probably caused a hundred clone commanders like him (that were spread out across the galaxy) to shake their heads in frustration at the blatant display of recklessness. But as much as he wanted to argue, to insist that she bring an ARC squad with her, it was not his place, and she is his commanding officer.

But unlike her Jedi counterparts, Aayla Secura was one of the rare few that remained with her original unit at the start of the war on Geonosis.

Other clone regiments were not so unfortunate, commanded by newly promoted Jedi Knights that should have remained padawans for a few more years. Their inexperience, eagerness and desire to show their courage and skill cost the lives of thousands of his clone brothers throughout the war.

Hypori was another matter, Aayla's flagship, the Republic cruiser _Intrepid_ suffered severe damage during an earlier skirmish. As a result, the 327th Star Corps were unable to follow their General who had flown to the besieged planet in her Eta-2 Actis Light Interceptor, after receiving distress calls from Ki-Adi-Mundi and Shaak Ti that all available help was needed as soon as possible.

It was the first time that the monstrous General Grievous had made an appearance, and it was pure luck that Aayla Secura survived the massacre of republic forces.

He considered himself fortunate that he was assigned to a Jedi Knight that could back up her confident words with skill, along with her tactical ability and willingness to hear suggestions and advice. Unlike other Jedi Generals, Aayla had a penchant of using subterfuge and stealth, launching surprise attacks and ambushes, a tactic Bly strongly agreed with.

Her infiltration skills and insistence on gaining as much intelligence as she could before a mission had preserved the lives of her men more than deflecting blaster fire with her lightsaber. It was another trait of hers that endeared her to her troops.

There were other successful clone commander-Jedi tandems that managed to stay together throughout the war, like Kenobi and Commander Cody, or the infamous Skywalker and his equally insane Clone Captain Rex of the 501st.

An added bonus but never spoken out loud was that their commander was hot, something that could help them fantasize at nights at the barracks. And morale, even at the direst of circumstances never dropped.

It only took a clone trooper desperately firing back against an unending horde of battle droids to see their beautiful, blue skinned General fighting alongside, deflecting blaster bolts, to get their spirits backs up and remember what they were fighting for.

They were fighting for the republic, for _freedom_, for the Chancellor, and a universally acknowledged but hidden fact: the republic's _finest_ piece of ass. Shaak Ti was no comparison.

He shuddered to think about the boys in the 372nd regiment where a huge Wookie like Jedi with white fur led them.

"This isn't just for decoration you know. I'll be back by morning." Aayla added, indicating her lekku as she massaged their length with her hands. She knew what her clone commander was thinking. Her two brain tails called lekku allowed her some measure of empathy.

Aayla Secura nodded to Bly and took off into the night, her blue skin glinting at the moonlight, her semi prehensile lekku floating behind her.

The Jedi knight jumped off the tree branch where she landed and headed towards the place where she felt something calling her. She quickly moved through the tall grass and past giant flowers, her elegant ground eating strides took her across swiftly and closer to the source where the strange feeling in the force came from.

After ten minutes in a blistering pace, Aayla slowed down as the feeling intensified around her. She stopped and looked around as the strange feeling was now everywhere, the vegetation, the damp earth she stood on and the dew that formed during the night at the blades of grass that tickled her calves.

It was silent and she gazed in wonder as a strange translucent veil was blown towards where she stood. It was the source of this strange feeling and her skin tingled. The wind she felt earlier blew the veil, making it look like it was dancing, circling her, playing with her. The three moons' light gave the veil a beautiful blue glow, as if it was luminescent.

As Aayla watched the veil it suddenly turned parted with a strange shape, and a figure dropped from it to the clearing. The veil then dissolved, like an invisible strand was pulling it apart. Through the force she knew the figure was no threat as she sensed the power within the stranger.

The power she sensed within the figure felt wild, pure and unrefined and unrestrained. She kneeled beside the figure and turned it to its back, and her eyes widened in shock despite her Jedi composure.

It was a human, a human male reaching its prime. He was obviously in a battle, as trails of blood and gashes crossed the man's handsome' face. His skin was white, very unnatural in these parts and he was tall, and muscled from what she felt beneath layers of his clothes.

He was probably a warrior, but how did he get here? What sort of technology allows for sudden materialization of particles? As she felt for a pulse she noticed his deep breathing, he did not seem to be in danger for the moment.

She looked for any weapons among the man's strange clothes and found a strange stick strapped in his wrist and one in his left leg. She was confused, the man was a warrior but he had no weapons with him despite the layers of clothes and what she suspected was some type of flexible armor underneath his robes. Was this some sort sign from the Force?

She inspected the strange clothes, it was thick, and she sensed the force emanate from even them. Markings on the clothes indicate he was someone of high rank or an officer. She noticed the young man's wound on his shoulder, and hastily removed a bandage from her belt and started to undo the man's clothes.

A small gash or cut while in the damp and humid climate of Felucia was something that should be treated immediately, else it become infected. The flesh eating virus that was easily caught in Felucia's humid climate wreaked havoc among the ranks, and it was something she did not want to experience again.

A muscled chest greeted her and she frowned at the line of scars and cuts that crisscrossed his torso. She bit of the bandage and started to wound it up his shoulder and under the arm. The injury did not indicate anything broken or a vein ruptured, but a nasty looking bruise and a few deep cuts.

After taking care of the stranger's injuries, Aayla pulled him deeper into the grass, to give them cover in a separatist patrol suddenly appeared. She looked curiously at the prone man lying beside him and murmured. "Who are you stranger?"

A groan came out from the stranger's mouth and Aayla quickly rushed and kneeled by the man's side. The man started to stir and he began to move. Aayla sensed confusion, pain, acceptance and satisfaction on the stranger's emotions.

"Stranger, do you understand me?" Aayla asked softly, so as not to startle the man.

The young man blinked and as his eyes focused he looked at a blue, beautiful face staring at him. He smiled, and still dazed he said weakly "A damn angel... guess I'm in the good place."

The man snorted and passed out again, this time into a calmer sleep.

Aayla raised an eyebrow in amusement, while a slight smile crossed her lips. All her life she had been receiving flirtatious advances, and if she had to admit, that was one of the more honest compliment she had received. She was curiously surprised to see the color of the man's eyes... it was green, a vivid shade similar to color of her spare lightsaber, a rare oddity among the hundreds of biped species in the galaxy.

With nothing else to do but wait, she sat and closed her eyes, and communed with the force, patiently waiting for the man to wake.

ooo

"Where am I?"

Aayla opened her eyes and looked at the stranger. The man looked around for a moment, obviously dazed and finally turned to her with confusion etched on his face. She saw his eyes widened in realization, that perhaps she was not a dream or hallucination, and was actually physically present beside him. The man immediately stood up and regarded her with suspicion.

"Who… and what are you?" He asked. He suddenly snapped his right hand and in a swift movement his wooden stick smoothly slid into his hand.

"Answer me!" He demanded, now pointing the stick at her like some blaster.

Aayla also leapt back, even if she sensed he was not a Sith. He was obviously disoriented and could harm her, and she wanted to avoid a fight if possible.

Harry was confused. At first he felt a strange sensation, as if his body was drifting along a cold current that twisted and turned along a river. Then he remembered a blue faced angel looking over him… and now he was somewhere with this strange, albeit lovely looking female standing opposite him.

She wore a strange tunic that revealed an ample bosom, a narrow waist and a voluptuous figure. _Weird… and hot._

The blue skinned woman did not respond and he decided to freeze her so he can ask her some questions. He sent a bright blue full body bind curse, but the woman dodged it easily and a blue beam suddenly sprang to life in the woman's hands. It made a strange buzz in the air, like it was humming.

"I do not want to harm you, so please remain calm." The woman said in a strangely French accent. _"Lower your weapon."_

Harry felt tendrils of strange thoughts wrap in his mind, suggesting that lowering his wand was a very good idea. It was ridiculously easy to force out the foreign sensation in his head, her technique was nowhere near the strength of the imperius curse. But it was the type of attack that made him annoyed, he had spent a lifetime zealously guarding against Voldemort's mental attacks, and he would be damned if someone got into his mind again.

That did it, and he was pissed. He slammed his occlumency shields in place and sent three stunning curses in rapid succession. Three bright bolts of red energy seared through the night and Harry was shocked when the she parried them with ease with her strange weapon.

He decided to raise the bar, and twirled his wand and the ground suddenly shook and three thick lengths of rope appeared around the woman to bind her. It was a modified binding curse, designed to take down giants but the female moved swiftly, gracefully as she avoided the ropes and cut them in half with the sword of light she held in her hands.

The shaking earth beneath her did not appear to bother her at the least, her balance was perfect, her movements graceful. If he wasn't fighting her at the moment, he would have applauded her physical prowess and agility.

The woman smirked and suddenly Harry felt his wand slip from his fingers and into the woman's free hand.

"You do not have a weapon, give up." The woman said but that only provoked the wizard.

He still had a spare wand strapped to his left foot, but he felt that he could take on this admittedly hot blue female chick without it. He sent a strong disarming charm and smiled in satisfaction as the woman was caught off guard and was sent hurling ten feet backwards, while the blade of her light sword suddenly vanished with only its cylindrical hilt remaining. He held his right hand and the wand that the woman captured returned to its rightful owner.

"That was a bad move, invading my mind. That's considered rude in my book." Harry said as he walked closer but cautiously to the fallen figure. As an afterthought he summoned the cylindrical hilt lying on the grass and held it with his left hand.

"Now you're right I don't want to hurt you either, but why did you try and control me?" Harry stared down at his opponent. The weaponless, blue-skinned beauty just smiled, released a breath and sat on the ground, looking far too relaxed for Harry's comfort.

"I wanted you to remain calm, so we can talk properly, but I did not realize you have a strong will that can resist my mind trick. I apologize." She said, and she said it with such sincerity that Harry's irritation with her vanished. It was clear that she was not here to harm him and he let out a sigh of relief.

Harry sat down half a dozen feet across from her and tossed the woman's weapon back to her, still feeling a slight headache. "Can you answer my question earlier? Who or what are you? And where am I?"

The blue skinned female gave him an odd look for a moment before she decided to answer his questions.

"I am called Aayla Secura, Jedi Knight of the Republic. And I am a Twi'lek, native to my home world of Ryloth. It is obvious you have never seen my species before." She answered politely, and at the same time observing him, looking if he recognized any of the words she had spoken. Twi'leks were a well known species throughout the galaxy, even in the worlds beyond the outer rim, but the human just looked more confused than before, but she could not detect any deceit from him.

"And what of you stranger? You wield energies similar to mine yet different from the force."

Harry did not understand half of what she said, he only understood that her name was Aayla Secura, and she was some sort of knight. He wondered if the fight with the demon earlier transported him to another dimension or reality.

Studies about other parallel worlds and dimensions were conducted by many scholars, and they were theoretically possible but deemed unsafe. The archway was believed to be a gateway, but since he destroyed it along with the chamber, maybe he got caught in it somehow during his deadly battle with the demon.

"I'm Harry Potter, Lieutenant of the Auror corps of the Ministry of Magic... and I'm from the planet Earth? And no, I haven't seen someone like you before." He scratched his head, wondering why he always got into these weird situations, though this was by far the strangest he had ever experienced. "I'm lost."

"Magic? Some cultures consider my abilities through the force as magic. I do not know of a planet called Earth, or where its location is." Aayla looked at Harry and felt his emotions. "You are confused and worried."

"How did you know what I was feeling?" Harry asked as his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I am an empath, I can sense emotions." Aayla said simply, smiling to ease his discomfort.

She knew how a few of her fellow padawans found it uncomfortable knowing that she could read their emotions at any given moment when they were around her. That discomfort gradually vanished when bonds of trust and friendship grew between her and her Jedi brethren.

She would just need to gain his trust.

"Right, that must be a pretty useful talent to have. What do I do now? Do you have technology here so I can get home?" Harry asked hopefully.

The rutian Twi'lek shook her head. "Dimension travel is unheard of, and not one event has been documented or even mentioned in the Jedi archives, and that is the oldest and most complete repository of knowledge in the galaxy."

"If you agree, I suggest we go back to my camp, where my troops are waiting for me. I have food and shelter there, and you look like you need some nourishment." Aayla suggested as she stood up. She leaned down and offered a hand to Harry. "It is not safe, even for one with your skills to remain alone at Felucia."

Harry gulped when he saw her cleavage and blushed. Looking away, he took the offered hand and nodded in thanks. He hoped she didn't sense that as he struggled to maintain a straight face and fight off the slight blush growing on his cheeks.

ooo

"Is you your camp far?" Harry asked as they walked through the tall grass and the large strange looking flowers as tall as giants jutting out at different intervals all around.

"An hour's walk, ten minutes if we dash through." Aayla eyed her new companion. He still looked weak, barely able to stand straight on his own. "Perhaps I should call for a transport."

"No… that's fine. My magic's fine, I'm just really hungry. Can I hop on your shoulder?" Harry asked absently while he yawned. He was used to do this with Tonks whenever he was bored or when they were undercover in a difficult case.

"I'm not sure that would be appropriate. I can carry you but…" Aayla was a bit surprised at his question. Maybe from where he came from they were more liberal. And he did not understand the Jedi code of self imposed celibacy and the path of loneliness as a result.

"Oh I'm not hopping on your shoulder in this form!" Harry laughed as he imagined such a ridiculous scene. A vision of the petite and slender, blue skinned woman carrying his large frame on her feminine shoulders was hilarious. "I'm an animagus, and it's a skill I learn from where I come from. I can transform into my chosen animal at will."

"Such a thing is possible? Can you show me?" Aayla asked, clearly intrigued. The force was truly incredible, and even in her wildest dreams she never imagined it was possible. She could not sense any deceit from Harry's words, meaning he was telling the truth. She wondered what type of animal he would transform to that would be light enough to carry on her shoulder.

"Of course, though I don't know if you're familiar with the animal I will transform to." Harry replied. The wizard took a deep breath and suddenly transformed, his six foot frame got smaller until he morphed into a black peregrine falcon.

"By the force!" Aayla gasped. She immediately kneeled down to pick up the avian creature. It was beautiful, with a soft black plumage and about a foot high, and it had his rare green eyes.

The falcon gently walked up her arm, careful not to hurt her skin with its sharp claws. Finally it reached her shoulder and rested its talons by her vest.

"Marvelous… and yes you can ride on my shoulder. Hang on tight to my vest now, as I will run back to camp." Aayla grinned at the falcon and she suddenly leaped off the ground, one hand on the avian creature to make sure he wouldn't fall, and soon the pair disappeared into the night.

When Aayla saw the camp, she slowed down and stopped and held a hand in front of the falcon. It jumped to her waiting wrist and he was slowly lowered to the ground where he immediately transformed back to his human form.

"Thanks for the ride… I regained a bit of my strength, but I'm still hungry." Harry grinned at his companion. The journey was through the canopy of the strange forest was exhilarating, and he was severely tempted to spread out his wings and fly.

Aayla smiled back, Harry's grin was infectious. "We're just outside the camp. I wanted you to transform back here, so that you won't startle my clone troops. They might shoot first and ask questions later."

"You're like some kind of commander? And wait, clone troops?"

"Clone troops, the republic that I help protect ordered their creation to fight the separatist forces, led by the Dark Lord of the Sith. The clones are genetically modified to be naturally obedient to commanding officers. And the Republic senate assigned the Jedi to lead them." Aayla said as they walked towards the camp.

"Dark Lord… that's very familiar." Harry murmured. "I'm not too fond of Dark Lords. They tend to have enormous egos and awful speeches."

Aayla let out a beautiful laugh and sent a smile to Harry, remembering Count Dooku's theatrics. "Yes they do. I assume you have one in your world?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "You might call him the Dark Lord of Magic. Fortunately for my world he's dead, permanently. I made sure of it."

"How did you do it?" Aayla asked curiously.

"Through sacrifice and perseverance, it was a brutal war. Many of my friends and comrades died as they took on his followers. Even though we were outnumbered, they valiantly fought his followers, and that freed me up to take care of the Dark Lord himself." Harry's expression grew grim, as he remembered the terrible war that cost his world so much.

"Such pain is not meant to be kept inside Harry. It will only corrupt you from within. But I commend you for defeating a Dark Lord. From what I can see, you are a formidable fighter." Aayla patted his shoulder in sympathy.

"Thank you." Harry said sincerely.

The two walked towards the camp where the command post was, where clone commander Bly greeted them, with a squad of ARC clones behind him.

"General Secura! Who is this?" Bly asked, his digitized voice coming out from his helmet's speaker.

Aayla frowned. Bly never wore his helmet inside the camp, during his free time. ARC Clone commanders usually set themselves apart by not wearing their helmets unless they were in actual combat. It was a privilege only given to the highest ranking clones that usually act as intermediary between the Jedi council and the rest of the troops.

And he never carried his blasters in his hands- he usually had them tucked in his holsters at his waist. She looked around and saw her loyal clone troopers had surrounded her. It felt like they were treating her as the enemy.

"Bly? What's wrong? Is there an attack?" Aayla asked in concern.

"I guess I would have preferred to do this with your back turned, General. But that's the coward's way out. Do not resist Jedi, and I will personally ensure a quick and painless death for you." Bly said as he slowly removed his helm and looked at his former commander with pity.

"Bly?" Aayla asked. What were her loyal troops doing? Blasters were raised all around and the Clones pointed their weapons at the two of them. Guard towers aimed their high powered guns at them, to ensure there would be no escape.

"Orders are orders General Secura, I'm sorry." Bly said sincerely. "This will be quick, I promise."

Harry did not understand what was going on, but the soldiers in white armor and helmets were acting in a threatening manner, surrounding them and blocking off any escape. He immediately drew close to Aayla, ready for action in a moment's notice.

"You are found guilty, for betraying the Republic. Under order sixty six from Chancellor Palpatine, you, along with all Jedi and known associates are to be executed immediately for treason." Bly proclaimed although his tone indicated he did not believe the shit that he said. But clones were unable to refuse a command from a higher authority, and there was no higher authority than the Chancellor himself.

"This... this is impossible!" Aayla shouted. She looked around at the covered faces of her loyal star corps. She was hesitant to hurt what she considered her loyal allies, and refused to believe they were now betraying her, when the war was nearing to an end. They suffered together through years of constant hardships, of hard won victories paid in tears, sweat and blood. How could Bly and the 327th Star Corps betray her and the cause so easily?

That hesitancy was Chancellor Palpatine's weapon to kill the Jedi. Throughout the years, the Clones learned how strong a lone Jedi was, and they knew how to kill them. Most did not have any emotional attachments and killed as ordered. Some like the more independent ARC clone variants like Bly felt sorrow, even hesitation. But all were ordered to kill and all obeyed.

And the thousands of Jedi knights spread out across isolated worlds, surrounded by their clone armies, died as their loyal allies for years suddenly turned against them. Most did not have a chance and died instantly from blaster fire from the back, and a few others fell as they defended against two fronts, from the separatist droids and the clone troopers themselves.

_ooo_

Ultimately, the vaunted skill of the Jedi was not enough against the might of the Clone Armies. In a matter of seconds, the thousands of Jedi knights that protected worlds and kept peace in the galaxy for thousands of years perished in a despicable act of betrayal.

oo

Ki-Adi-Mundi died violently, as he led the charge in Mygeeto into the separatist lines. The Cerulean Jedi Master realized that his own men were not running behind him, and he saw his own troops point their blasters at him, before they unleashed hell. He managed to deflect a few blaster bolts, but he was soon caught in the crossfire between the separatist army and his own men. Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi's body received dozens of blaster bolts from both directions before he fell to the ground.

oo

Jedi Master Luminara Unduli pulled the sleeves of her blood stained brown robes and laid both of her hands on an injured Wookie. The Mirialan Jedi Master closed her eyes in preparation to call on the force and help heal the injured Wookie warrior, when she felt a searing heat on her back. Luminara quickly died, as the injured Wookie growled in anger and tried to attack the traitorous clones before it too was mercilessly shot down.

oo

In Cato Neimoidia, Jedi Master Plo Koon, renowned Star Fighter Pilot and blade master, pursued a trio of Trifighters on his Delta-7 Starfighter. The Jedi Master did not notice the flight of ARC-170 starfighters suddenly form behind him through a long turn. They quickly fired a volley, destroying the cockpit and parts of its wing and it slowly spiraled down from the upper atmosphere, before crashing into one of the buildings.

oo

Aayla Secura was lucky, since she found an unlikely ally that was at her side when her need was great. Perhaps it was the will of the force that intertwined their fates.

"Blast 'em!"

Commander Bly shouted and the hundreds of clone troops fired simultaneously. Aayla brought out her lightsaber, ready to deflect any blaster fire, and hoped Harry could use his own power to protect her back.

The 327th Star Corps was tough, considered as one of the best in the regiments next to the 501st. She knew, she had trained with these men since she was a newly instated knight of the order, and assigned to lead them in Geonosis.

Harry eyed the hundred of weird looking guns pointed at them and knew that they couldn't defend against all of them at the same time. As the blasters fired in unison Harry waved his wand in a circular pattern and hoped his shield would hold against a barrage of weapons fire.

"_**Aegis Fortis**__!"_

A transparent silver dome erupted from the tip of his upheld wand and quickly covered the both of them, and the blasters bolts started bouncing back, hitting dozens of clone troopers. It was better than Harry had hoped for, his shield was not only able to withstand the attack, but strong enough to actually repel the laser bolts back into their ambushers.

Aayla looked wide eyed at the sudden shield that appeared to protect them, and gave her new ally a nod while she wondered how they would be able to escape. Her fellow Jedi had to be warned of this betrayal!

"Cease fire! They got some sort of deflector shield like the destroyer droids! Use the heavy artillery and over power that shield!" Bly ordered.

A huge AT- TE artillery crawler moved towards the two while hundreds of clones stood ready to fire at their target if they attempted to escape. The artillery crawler lowered its extremely large cannon and Harry and Aayla found themselves staring at the large mouth of the barrel, designed to hit targets kilometers away.

"I'm not sure my shield will hold against this one." Harry said.

"That was what I was thinking." Aayla agreed. "Do you have a stronger shield?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if it will be enough." Harry looked at the large machine with six robotic legs with worry, intimidated by the cannon pointed at them. "And If I could, I have to cancel the first shield first..."

"And they would surely fire on us." Aayla continued. The Rutian Twi'lek looked thoughtful for a moment and as they listened to the cannon charging up its power she finally decided on a plan. "Harry, transform back to that avian form of yours. Leave me, and I'll buy you some time."

"Hell no!" Harry said quickly. "I'm not planning on abandoning you, so don't even think about it."

"But..."

"Leave it." Harry snapped and moved beside Aayla, and took hold of her upper arm. "Tell me if the cannon's about to fire and I'll get us out of here."

The Jedi Knight nodded, and listened carefully for the discharge of the final safety locks, the indication that it was moments from firing. She hoped whatever it is that Harry planned would work, if not for her sake, but for the others, they had to be warned of this treachery.

The heard a high pitched sound and Aayla shouted that it was about to fire. She felt Harry embrace her, and she gasped when she felt a strange pressure squeezing her body from head to foot like she was being pushed through a rubber tube. The last thing she saw was the deadly glow at the end of the artillery's barrel as it fired its round.

ooo

The heavy artillery AT-TE crawler discharged its round, and the resulting explosion lifted dozens of clones off their feet and on to their backs as the massive air blast ripped through the camp. The communications tower fell to the ground from the explosion, while the clones quickly got back to their positions, just in case their target had escaped. They knew all too well how difficult it was to kill a Jedi.

It turned out that their precaution was not needed. When the dust cleared, it revealed a crater at least a meter deep, and four meters in diameter. The bottom of the crater was still glowing red hot, the rock beneath liquefied from the intense heat of the attack. No one could have survived an attack from a heavy artillery piece from point blank range.

Bly activated his communicator attached to his wrist, and informed the Chancellor that their mission was a success.

The hooded figure in the hologram merely gave a curt nod before it flickered out, and Bly was about to relay orders to the other detachments that were deployed at the two other water treatment plants, when the communicator indicated that it could not detect any nearby signal.

He noticed the communications tower lying on its side, and again he cursed the planet Felucia. Its unique, ionized atmosphere and geological features made it difficult to contact distant allies on land, and they needed tall communications towers to relay signals to each other. It was only luck that their camp was high enough to communicate with the Republic cruisers above them to get a decent signal.

"Get that tower fixed! Make it a priority!" Bly ordered. His clones rushed to obey at once and he watched impatiently on their slow progress. Lacking material and supplies in a campaign that lasted for months, it was frustrating to see how much their efficiency decreased due to sickness. It was if the planet itself was their enemy, resisting them with every step they took.

He needed to contact Galle, his lieutenant that was with Jedi Knight Barriss Offee, since the Chancellor only transmitted his order directly to the ARC clone commanders like himself. It was their job to relay the others to the rest of men, using clone channel frequency that could be secretly heard by the clones through the devices inside their helmets.

Still, it was a necessary risk to eliminate Aayla Secura quickly, he knew how cunning and perceptive the rutian Twi'lek was, there was no doubt that she could sense the change in their demeanor after order 66 was given.

And with the personal shield generator she and her ally had, the AT- TE crawler's firepower, no matter the risk of firing it at point blank range, was essential. The more dangerous of the two Jedi Knights was dead, and it was a matter of time once Barriss Offee was eliminated. Against the clones, the separatist forces and the Acklays, she really didn't stand any chance.

He'd make sure to order his lieutenant to make Barriss Offee's death quick, while she was not as skilled as Aayla Secura, her skill in healing had saved hundreds of clones suffering from the hellish diseases and viruses that plagues Felucia.

They owed her that much.

ooo

Aayla slowly opened her eyes, but she still couldn't see, since her face was partially buried in Harry's chest. She could hear his heart beating at a rapid pace, and she wondered if hers was beating as fast, if not faster than his.

She felt him remove his arms around her and she was finally able to see, and noticed that they were in the exact same spot that they first met.

"What was that?" She finally asked. Her eyes wide in surprise, she thought Harry was going to use his strongest shield. "How did we get here?"

"It's called disapparition." Harry explained. "It's a form of travel from where I come from."

"So you can practically appear in any area you want to?"

"It has its limits." Harry sat on the ground and let out a breath as the adrenalin that pumped into his body gradually diminished. "I can only apparate into places I have been before, or through coordinates given to us. And those coordinates depended on my planet's exact measurements. Any deviation and I may end up in a completely different place, or worse, over an ocean or trapped inside a mountain."

"I understand." Aayla copied her companion's actions and leaned her back on a nearby tree in front of him. "Thank you for saving me, Harry."

The wizard just smiled. "A friend told me that it's my _saving people thing_, a trait that she said that I will never grow out of. Besides, you helped me when I got here, and I'm not in the habit of abandoning my comrades."

"Even if it might cost you your life?" She needed to remain calm, and instead focused her attention on the strange force user and savior.

Harry shrugged. "We all die someday, and yes, if it will save the life of a friend, then I'll sacrifice my life for theirs. But, I'll try my hardest to stay alive too, and I'm very hard to kill."

"Perhaps the Jedi are not so unique after all." Aayla mused.

The two new allies heard the distant rumble and Aayla's small smile vanished and she quickly stood up. She needed to help Barriss, and even using a gunship, it would be difficult to reach her flying above separatist territory. It was an impossible task, but then he appeared.

"I need your help once again Harry." Her gold brown eyes stared at his green.

"What do you need?" Harry asked as Aayla helped him to his feet.

"I need to warn my fellow Jedi, and I only hope that I'm not too late. You said you can teleport to any location as long as you remember the place of your destination?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, and to any place I can see. What do you have in mind?"

"Do you see that mountain behind you?" Aayla pointed to the towering spires in the distance.

The wizard narrowed his eyes, struggling to see the mountain and shook his head. "I'm not sure, Aayla. I can barely make out any detail, and the best I can do is apparate us high above the area."

Harry looked back at the mountain range, deep in thought. He could apparate both of them to the ground again as they fall, but that would only work if he could focus long enough on a specific location.

Added to that, was he was apparating someone else with him, and that would only make things harder as they fell from the sky. He could use a few spells that could slow their descent, but he wasn't sure if that would be enough to hold them both from an undetermined height.

"As long as you can take me there, I'll handle the rest." Aayla gave her companion a confident smile. "Leave the falling to me."

ooo

CRACK!

Harry found himself buffeted by strong winds and rain, and he struggled to focus on the ground to try and apparate again. But then, he felt his companion shift her body alongside his, and he found himself hanging limp over Aayla's shoulder, her right hand holding his thighs close to her body. He did have an excellent view of her posterior, as his cheek was pressed to the bare skin of her lower back.

They would soon meet the ground painfully, when a nearby tree flower growing in the cliff face suddenly crashed to its side directly below them. Harry let out a gasp as Aayla's shoulder met his torso as she landed. He thought they were safe, when the tree flower tilted to its side, as their added weight tilted it over the cliff.

Aayla jumped again in rapid succession, and Harry could only see blurs- a narrow ledge, a boulder, a branch that he was sure he heard splinter. A moment later, instead of staring at Aayla's bum, he felt his feet touch the ground, and a blue face smiling at him.

"I have to say, this apparition trick of yours is truly helpful. We have travelled a distance that would have taken any other Jedi on foot hours, at most."

"When you said you'd take care of the falling, I never imagined you'd carry me over your shoulder and jumping and leaping all over the place." Harry replied after he got his bearings.

He looked around, and noticed that the vegetation was not as dense as before. There were also giant rocks and boulders, and beside him was the tall mountain that he used as a marker for apparition. "Where are we?"

"Har Gau, where a detachment of my clones are with Barriss Offee, a fellow Jedi knight."

"Are there anymore Jedi here?" Harry asked. He couldn't see her face, but her tone indicated sadness when she answered his question.

"Barriss' padawan died in an earlier skirmish with the separatists. Barriss, no matter how calm she appears, still mourns his loss."

"What's a padawan?"

"It's a Jedi in training that is apprenticed to a knight or a master, to better prepare them to become a fully pledged Jedi knight." Aayla answered. "Before this war started, padawans finished their training at the temple and waited for a knight or master to select them to become an apprentice in the field. The war has forced many padawans assignments not suited to them. Many are unprepared to see the real horror of war."

"I understand." Harry said softly, and he meant it.

He had seen many of his classmates thinking that they could join the war effort without even finishing their Hogwarts education. He had seen many scared faces when they found themselves facing off against a death eater, and panicking, and often the result was a horrible death.

Wizard and knight headed further down the mountain where Aayla knew the water treatment facility was. Soon, they could the exchanges of blaster fire, a forest of blue and red particle beams heading towards the two opposing forces.

Aayla noticed a single AT- TE heavy artillery crawler, similar to the one that nearly killed them lumbering towards the front lines from the back. It fired its main canon and its six guns at the separatist front line, destroying dozens of droids in a single volley. Its green beams stood out among the sea of blue and red weapons fire and even at this distance they could both hear the trademark shriek whenever the AT-TE fired its guns.

She took out her binoculars and searched for her comrade, and she sighed in relief when she found Barriss still among the clones, directing their movement and occasionally blocking a stray blaster fire headed towards her with her blue lightsaber.

"Harry, I need you to create a distraction once I reach Barriss." Aayla said once she packed her binoculars into her equipment pouch attached to her belt. "Do you think you can manage it?"

Harry nodded while he stared at the fierce battle, silently observing the clones and the robot horde they were fighting.

"Harry, the clones here at any moment might attack Barriss, I need to get to her before they do so. Those separatist droids are also our enemy, they would not hesitate to fire at you once they spot you, so be careful."

"How will you get out of the mess once you go down there?" Harry asked. "If what you say is true, then there will be two armies after the both of you."

"We'll manage." Aayla said confidently.

"I've got a better idea." Harry tapped his wand on Aayla's utility belt, and she watched curiously as it glowed a blue light for a moment before it faded.

The rutian Twi'lek could feel a strange energy on her belt when she ran her hand over it, and looked at Harry. "What did you do?"

"I turned it into a portkey." The wizard explained. "It allows you and anyone you're holding to teleport from your current position back to this spot once you say the word '_activate'_. I figured it will be more useful, and safer."

Aayla smiled and surprised even herself when she leaned forward and kissed him in the cheek. "Your variety of force tricks simply amazes me. Thank you Harry."

"Yeah..." The wizard replied, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Now go, I'll move near the tree line and watch your back."

Favoring her new ally a dazzling smile, she sprinted down the mountain slope and straight into the battle. She could see that the clone force was severely outnumbered by the separatist droids, and she knew it was only a matter of time before they would be over run.

She did nothing to help the surprised clones as she ran past them, only deflecting the laser bolt that the force told her was heading her way. She had little sympathy for her former troops, now that she had an idea of what their real purpose was. It looked like her old master's paranoia was well founded.

The Jedi knight casually decapitated a battle droid and used its body as a platform to leap over the fire fight. The Twi'lek tucked her legs under her body and spun, and landed near a super destroyer droid. She sliced it in half at the waist before it even realized she was there and through the dust and rain she finally located a cloaked figure wielding her blue light saber. She was not too late.

ooo

Harry silently appeared on top a branch of a tall tree near the area between the separatists and the clone force. The strange looking robots were quickly advancing, and even when one was shot, two took its place.

The clones slowly retreated from their defense line, and this was where he observed his blue skinned companion running along, taking advantage of the confusion as the robots reached the clones' defense line.

Harry remembered his brief duel with Aayla, and he couldn't help but watch in awe as the Jedi knight gracefully made her way across the battlefield to reach her fellow Jedi. He knew the Twi'lek was fast and agile, but the stunts she pulled completely astounded the wizard. But that was not the most astonishing.

She seemed to have eyes at the back of her head, as the occasional droid would fire at her and she merely jumped mere moments before it reached her, or deflected it with her powerful lightsaber that had the ability to repel his spells. He was silently thankful that Aayla showed restraint during their first meeting, that wicked sword she wielded could have cut through him, dragon hide armor or not.

Harry whistled in admiration when Aayla performed a graceful leap, tucking her arms near her chest as she spun in the air before landing perfectly on top of a spider like droid's spherical head.

It was beautiful.

The wizard focused his attention on the large metal contraption that had tried to kill the both of them earlier, and drew his wand. It was time to provide a good distraction to help his companions.

ooo

Barriss Offee frowned when the attack she led gradually stopped, her forces bogged down by the enemy who had superior numbers and equipment on their side. Intelligence indicated that the Water treatment plant in Niango was heavily defended, and that the one in Har Gau only had a few companies of battle droids as guards.

She and Aayla agreed to split the main force in two, with the Twi'lek commanding the larger, complete with mechanized infantry and artillery, while she took a full company with and a squad of ARC clones for infiltration.

Unfortunately for her, the Separatists waiting for them numbered far more than intelligence located. They were immediately stopped on their tracks as the enemy mechanized artillery started firing on their position.

They caught a break when ARC Lieutenant Galle of the 327th star corps found a nearby AT-TE crawler after its transport craft was shot down during an earlier skirmish the month before. Barriss ordered her troops to retreat while she waiter for the AT-TE to reach the front line, its fire power and range greater than the enemy's artillery.

"I see it General." An ARC sergeant pointed to the mechanized hulk that slowly destroyed trees and vegetation in front of it as it struggled to reach the front lines.

"Good. Make sure that its power cells are completely charged, we will need its fire power to eliminate those turrets first before we start the assault again."

"Understood General." The sergeant saluted and ran off, and Barriss once more focused on the front lines. It looked like the Separatists were starting to move forward, but this time they had a surprise for them. She could already feel the vibrations on the ground as the AT – TE approached her from behind.

She knew ARC Lieutenant Galle was personally operating the machine, and she had every confidence in his skill and marksmanship.

A group of Battle droids headed towards her position and she engaged them, slicing one after another until she gained the attention of a whole company. Bariss flipped backwards, luring them right into the AT –TE.

"Galle! Fire!" The Mirialan Jedi shouted to the Clone officer. Barriss heard the crawler lower itself and rotated its guns, and she waited for the company of battle droids to be vaporized from its fire.

"_BARRISS!_"

She caught a blue blur at the corner of her eyes, and a fraction of a second later she was tackled and landed on the thick bushes. Before she could regain her bearings a strong gust of wind pushed her back to the forest floor as the AT- TE's main cannon fired at the spot where she previously stood.

She was surprised to find her fellow Jedi beside her, forcing the both of them to stay low on the wet and muddy ground.

"General Secura! What are you doing here?" Barriss asked. She noticed that several clones that she had previously ordered back to their staging position were now heading towards them, and strange enough, they weren't focusing on the battle droids that were continuing to advance.

"Pick up your lightsaber Barriss." Aayla whispered. "Our own troops have turned on us, by order of the Chancellor, all Jedi are to be executed. I sense the Sith are behind this."

The olive skinned Mirialan nodded, and despite the shock she was feeling after Aayla Secura's revelation, activated her own lightsaber. The clones were looking for them, but she knew they would find them eventually. The ARCs were very thorough, and ruthless.

"How do you plan on getting us out of here?" Barriss asked.

"I already have it covered." The rutian Twi'lek replied. "I managed to escape Bly's trap due to the help of a new ally. I suspect Bly thinks that he accomplished his mission, and that has to remain unchanged. What we now need to do is to make sure the separatist forces annihilate this detachment."

Barriss' eyes widened in shock. "Kill them all? But we are Jedi and..."

"And we are being exterminated, system by system by our traitorous armies. They are bred to listen to the highest ranking authority, and that is the Chancellor's. We now fight for our own survival." Aayla whispered harshly while she peered through the bushes.

"I understand, and trust your judgment Master Secura." Barriss replied. "If we destroy the AT-TE, the clones will be left helpless against the Separatist's artillery. Galle knows this, and is protecting the walker with half the company. This will not be easy."

"It will never be." Aayla remarked. Attacking the clone forces when the separatist army was behind you would make it doubly hard. The two knights were about to attack when they froze in shock when they saw a most incredible display of the force they had ever seen. They could literally feel the energy on their skin, as the immediate area was suddenly bathed in light that only those with force sight could see.

It was if Felucia herself had come alive, even the battle droids stopped firing, unable to compute what they were seeing.

The AT–TE crawler suddenly found itself stuck, as large arms made of rock and dirt reached up and grabbed hold of the crawler's legs, dragging it deeper to the previously solid earth. Nearby, clones were desperately fighting a dozen mud-like creatures that literally rose up from the earth they stood on and started attacking them.

Blaster fire proved ineffective as the mud creatures merely absorbed the energy blast, or regenerated limbs blown off by the ARC clones. After months in the hell of Felucia, the sight of these strange creatures completely broke any semblance of order within the ranks. Panic ensued, and more than one clone screamed in terror as he was swallowed deeper into the thick mud.

The Separatist droids started to advance again, and with the AT-TE unable to return fire, the artillery barrage went unanswered, vaporizing dozens of clones at a time. Clones occupied with battling the mud creatures were easy targets for the battle droids, and soon only a few ARCs remained, resisting to the last on top of the crawler half submerged on the ground.

A separatist armored assault tank struck the exposed ammunition pod of the AT –TE, causing it to explode, taking the last ARC clones with it.

Victory was complete for the Separatists in the battle of Har Gau.

It was a massacre for the clones.

"What... how..." Barriss struggled to speak, her calm demeanor shattered at the sight before her. She looked at her fellow Jedi and saw her smiling face. "Aayla?"

"It's Harry's doing." The rutian Twi'lek whispered.

"Harry?"

Aayla grabbed her Jedi sister's arm and grinned. "I'll introduce you to him."

"Huh?"

"_Activate_."

ooo

Aayla and Barriss landed gracefully on their feet, though the green skinned Mirialan looked dazed, and she tried opening her mouth a few times, but no words came out.

"That was different." Aayla observed. She thought travelling using the _portkey _felt similar to Harry's apparition, but the sensation she only felt was the rushing winds as it howled past her ears and the Force as it pulled them into their destination. "I think I prefer this one better."

"I don't." The two Jedi immediately turned to the voice and found Harry leaning on a tree, giving them a tired smile.

"Harry!" Aayla immediately rushed to her ally, and she arrived just in time, as Harry's knees went under him, and fall on the Twi'lek's arms.

Barriss, seeing what looked like an injured friend of Aayla collapse, snapped out of her daze and rushed to her side and placed her arms over the man's chest. Her palms glowed a light blue as the Force manifested itself to help the stranger.

"He suffers from force exhaustion and fatigue, Master Secura." Barriss replied. "I sense some injuries in his shoulder and chest, but they are healing rapidly like any Jedi's injuries."

Aayla suddenly remembered the state Harry was in when she met him, and suddenly understood why he just collapsed. She saw his state just as he arrived in Felucia, like he just went through a tough battle. Minutes later he had helped her escape from her clones, and then she asked again for his help to save Barriss, and without hesitation, he agreed.

She was amazed that he had even managed to defeat a whole company of clones on his own; her new ally was truly powerful, with the stamina of a Jedi Master to handle the Force like he did.

"We must look for shelter, this storm appears stronger." The Twi'lek looked around for a moment, and finally rested her eyes on the large rocky mountain where she and Harry arrived. "There should be caves in there that will adequately protect us from the wind and rain."

"Agreed." Barriss replied. "And there aren't any reports of Separatist activity in the mountain, there shouldn't be any reason why the clones will send a patrol there."

"Then let's go." Aayla picked Harry up, and managed to carry the larger man on her arms, the force aiding her in handling his weight.

The two Jedi soon disappeared among the trees, as a republic gunship appeared above the horizon.

ooo

Barriss kept looking back at their unconscious companion who lay near the fire between bites of field rations, her mind wandering back on the events that happened the an hour before. It was almost too much for anyone, even a Jedi, to remain calm.

She felt it, and she knew Aayla did too, that something terrible has happened across the galaxy. She wondered what had happened to her fellow Mirialan and mentor, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli. Did she perish in the assault? Did she somehow, against all odds, escaped?

Barriss tried to meditate, she really did, but the events that she recently experienced troubled her mind. She focused her attention on her fellow Jedi, the rutian Twi'lek kept herself busy by fussing over their strange, and powerful companion, making sure that his injuries were not infected and he was comfortable. She had removed his robes and upper garments to dry, soaked from the pouring rain of Felucia.

The man's bare chest was lined with old scars, an indication that he was a warrior. The strange armor he wore was lined with unfamiliar scales, Barriss couldn't figure out from what creature it came from, the closest she could think of were images of the extinct Greater Krayt dragon in Tatooine.

"His name is Harry Potter."

Barriss looked up and saw Aayla looking at her as the Twi'lek sat behind the cave wall. "Master Secura?"

"I'm surprised that you haven't asked any questions yet." Aayla continued. "If I was the one in your shoes, I wouldn't have stopped asking until I got all the answers."

"I tried meditating, but my mind is deeply troubled." Barriss admitted. "I figured I'd wait for you to speak until you are ready. It looks like you are."

Aayla looked down at their savior and gently caressed Harry's brow, and noticed a faint lightning shaped scar on his forehead. "I believe it's the will of the Force that he was sent to us."

The Mirialan remained silent and let her fellow knight continue.

"I sensed the Force calling to me, and there he appeared, before my eyes, amidst the winds."

"He just materialized from thin air?"

Aayla nodded. "You could even call it beautiful. He has some strange abilities, some similar to a Jedi's. And he used it to save me when I wandered into Bly's trap, surrounded by the ARCs and the rest of the regiment."

"I knew there was no escape, with hundreds of blasters pointed at me with no cover." Aayla continued, ignoring Barriss' gasp. "And then, he formed some sort of shield, as strong as those emitted by destroyer droids. But his shield didn't absorb the blaster bolts, but deflected them back to the clones."

"What is he?"

"He told me he was an Auror Lieutenant, though I do not know what that means. Harry believes that the power he wields through the force is magic." Aayla smiled at that.

"Magic?" Barriss pursed her cheeks, trying hard not to smile. She had heard stories of Jedi encountering races that were not familiar with the force, and believed the Jedi having magical powers.

"With what I've seen him do, he could call it what he wants, and without him, I wouldn't have reached you in time." Aayla replied. "I never knew the force is capable of such feats. Instantaneous teleportation, the ability to manifest a shield with but a thought..."

"And those earth creatures that attacked Galle's company." Barriss added. She looked back at Harry's prone form and thought for a moment, her mind abuzz with possibilities. She had heard about legends of other force users that manipulate the energy in ways that were previously thought impossible.

"He... he truly believes that the power of the force he wields is magic?" Barriss asked.

"You better believe it."

The two Jedi noticed Harry trying to sit up. Aayla immediately helped him up while Barriss used the opportunity to observe their companion. His green eyes immediately stood out, and she found herself staring at them, fascinated at seeing such a unique shade of color.

"Do you have any food around here?" Harry asked hopefully.

Barriss quickly fished her belt pouch for a ration bar and tossed it to him. She and Aayla shared an amused look when Harry grimaced after taking a bite.

"It doesn't taste good, but it has all the necessary nutrients you will need for the day." Aayla said. "So eat up, Harry."

The wizard grimaced and drained the contents of Aayla's canteen to push down the bland tasting nutrient bar that turned to paste as he chewed on it. As he finished, he saw the Jedi called Barriss meditating cross legged a few feet from him, her eyes closed and her face calm. He looked towards Aayla and saw her gently massaging the strange protrusions from her head.

The Twi'lek must have sensed him staring since she looked up and matched his gaze, and he remembered that she had some sort of empathic ability.

"What are those?" Harry asked, nodding at the direction of the protrusions in Aayla's hands.

The Twi'lek gave him a bemused smile when she sensed curiosity in Harry and scooted closer to him. "They're called lekku, meaning brain tails. All Twi'leks have them."

Harry stared at the _lekku_ that suddenly moved on their own, and noticed strange patterns in various shades of blue when he looked closer.

"They're semi-prehensile, meaning I have limited control over them." Aayla explained.

"This is tchun..." The Twi'lek massaged the lekku on her right hand and then raised the lekku on her left. "...and this is tchin."

"Does all Twi'leks have blue for skin color?"

"No, most Twi'leks have green or other shades of color." Aayla patiently explained. "Those with similar color like me are called rutian Twi'leks, though we are rare compared to my fellow brothers and sisters in Ryloth. You've only been with your own kind until you've met us, correct?"

"No, we live alongside a few other races, though they hide themselves from muggles."

"Muggles?" It was Barriss that asked. She had removed her hood and revealed dark green hair and moved closer to the two.

"Normal people don't have magic. We also hide our own existence from them."

"Why?"

"It's tradition I guess." Harry shrugged. "Hundreds of years before, the muggles persecuted those with magical ability, causing all the wizards and witches on Earth to hide from them. Even now, there are strict laws against revealing your magical abilities in front of ordinary humans."

"But why did they persecute those with abilities?"

"Some say they were jealous of the witches and wizard's ability, but my mentor told me once that people fear what they could not understand, and tend to react violently towards it."

"Your mentor is very wise." Aayla nodded, as she remembered a few of the republic's citizens that were jealous and distrustful of the Jedi because of their powers. "And now your planet is split into two worlds that are completely separated from each other?"

"Not completely." Harry replied. "A few of us, those that have normal parents but have magic continue to live on both worlds. For a society without magic, ordinary humans have reached a level of technology that would seem like magic to wizards and witches. It's not as advanced compared with what I've seen here though."

"Like that sword of yours." Harry glanced at the cylindrical hilt of Aayla's lightsaber that hung from her belt. "Mind If I take a look?"

ooo

The hum of the lightsaber engulfed the cave in a bright blue light and Harry watched in awe at the deadly weapon he held in his right hand.

"It's surprisingly light." The wizard observed. He moved the blade around, and it hummed as it cut through the air. He marveled at a sword light enough but could deflect his spells. He pushed the button again and it the deadly blue blade made of plasma disappeared to its hilt.

Harry handed it back to Aayla and nodded in thanks. "So this is the standard weapon of a Jedi?"

"It is the only weapon that we use." Aayla clipped her lightsaber back to her belt.

"And what are Jedi?"

"We are the keepers of the peace." Barriss replied. "We uphold order and justice in the galaxy through the will of the force."

"And this war you're fighting?" Harry asked. "It looks like the army you commanded has suddenly turned on you."

"It was a trap." Aayla said, her dark red lips pressed into a thin line. "It was a trap prepared by the Sith from the very beginning. Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord we have been hunting for years."

Barriss nodded her head in agreement, as the pieces finally fell into place. For years they thought Count Dooku was the Sith Lord, and recently the Jedi Council began to suspect that the true Sith Lord was someone close to the Chancellor's inner circle, the mysterious Darth Sidious. "He alone has the authority that is above a Jedi's to command the clones. The purpose of this war was designed to destroy the Jedi Order."

"I can only hope many of our Jedi brothers and sisters survived this cowardly attack." Aayla whispered.

But she knew, and felt in the force of the truth of the terrible tragedy. She now felt the sudden loss of life throughout the galaxy and she finally succumbed to her emotions. Her eyes started to moisten, her Jedi composure starting to crack as she felt deep inside her the truth. They had failed.

Harry, not knowing what else to say, sat beside the Twi'lek and put around her shoulder. The Jedi knight silently wept and slowly leaned on him, while Barriss just closed her eyes, though there was a sad expression on her face. The two Jedi were in pain, but only sniffs and quiet sobs were heard in the cave during the night.

Even in their darkest hour, the Jedi were disciplined in their mourning. The wizard remained silent, marveling at their strength.

Ooo

Harry slowly woke up and noticed that it was still dark. The fire they had for warmth for the night had died, but he could still see the form of Barriss Offee across from him, still asleep. The cot nearest to him was empty, and looking around, found a dark figure at outside the mouth of the cave.

He approached closer and saw Aayla watching over the distance, sitting on a rock with her right leg raised and tucked close to her body. She was slouched forward, her elbow resting over her knee, and her chin resting on it, while her strange but oddly beautiful lekku trailed behind her.

"You're still mad." Harry said, sitting beside her on the cliff edge.

"Your magic gives you the ability to become an empath as well?"

"Nah, but I could read minds."

Aayla looked at her companion, not really sure if he was joking or not, and the lack of light slightly hid his features.

"If it was me, I'd be mad if those I've been fighting side by side for years suddenly tried to kill me." Harry continued. "How could your men just suddenly turn against you? Don't they have any conscience?"

"They're clones, they're cannot help but obey their superiors." Aayla replied, bitterness evident in her voice. "It's very frustrating, knowing that millions of them are killing, or have killed my fellow Jedi, and I'm powerless to stop them."

"You've already saved one." Harry nodded his head back at Barriss' direction. "There might be other Jedi out there waiting for your help."

"I can't help but feel angry." Aayla clenched her fist.

"That's perfectly understandable." Harry said. "What's wrong with feeling righteous anger and feeling the need to avenge your allies?"

"It's against the Jedi code." Aayla whispered. "Feeding on these emotions will only lead me to the dark side of the force."

"If you allow these emotions to rule you. But you're not a god Aayla. You're just a human, I mean Twi'lek." Harry corrected himself. He leaned back and looked up, bracing his arms for support behind him. "I once gave in to anger. My godfather was killed before my eyes, and I chased the person that killed him. I cast a dark spell at her, but it didn't work."

"Why?"

"Because the dark spell needs anger and rage, and the need and want the person to suffer enough that they would prefer death rather than endure a second more under its effects." Harry replied. "My godfather's murderer laughed at me, she said that righteous anger won't work with a dark curse. Feeling anger is understandable, even expected. Just don't bottle it in, in eats you from the inside. I've seen better wizards die worthless deaths, letting their anger consume them. You need to talk to someone about it, it helps, trust me."

Aayla Secura regarded her companion. He continued to surprise her, and not just with his strange force powers, but also with the wisdom he showed. Harry Potter was a very interesting and unique person.

Felucia's sun started to appear above the horizon, making Harry's eyes glint in the light. "Are you sure you're not a Jedi?" She asked.

"Pretty sure." Harry laughed. He turned his head to look at her and matched her gaze. "Feeling better?"

"Much." The Twi'lek gave him a sincere smile. "Thank you."

"That's what friends do." Harry replied. The wizard stood up leaned forward and extended her hand to her.

Aayla tilted her head to the side and regarded the man standing in front of her. Her smile grew wider and she accepted the hand and was helped to her feet.

"Friends." Aayla, whispered, realizing that she had to slightly raise her head up to stare at his six foot frame, two inches taller than her.

It would be the start of a powerful and lasting friendship, and neither really had a clue of how far their partnership would push the limits of the Force.

"Now, what about finding something for breakfast?" Harry asked, looking at the strange, dense forest below them. "And I don't care about those field ration bars of yours, essential nutrients or not. I want something I can chew, not some thick paste."

Aayla chuckled and raised an eyebrow in amusement at Harry. "Fortunately for you, the field rations ran out, and I was planning on looking for something suitable to eat."

"Thank Merlin."

"Merlin?

"It's an expression where I came from." Harry said. "So what's the plan?"

The Twi'lek gazed at the sky, and noticed the birds of prey that inhabited Felucia and nested at the peaks of the mountains.

"This could take a while." She murmured.

ooo

_Niango, Felucia_

The image of ARC 872 scout 1 appeared in the portable holo projector and Clone Commander Bly closed the flap of the tent to allow the image to remain clear from the daylight outside.

He had managed to send the order to execute the remaining Jedi on Felucia to his lieutenant, but after Galle failed to report on their mission, and no one responding on the clone channel, he sent a gunship to reestablish communications with the company in Har Gau.

Usually the gunships would have been shot down in moments as they flew over separatist territory who had thousands of droids armed with the latest tracking missiles, but a few hours after order 66 was ordered, the entire separatist droid force suddenly deactivated.

The men cheered victory as they received news from Clone Intelligence of the Separatists Leaders' unconditional surrender, but Bly was still concerned about his missing force.

"Report."

"Commander, Delta Company has been totally destroyed. It looks like the AT – TE fell into quick sand, leaving them without any support."

Bly frowned. "Is the Jedi Knight responsible?"

"No sir." The scout replied. "No sign of a lightsaber used on the men. It looks like there was a large separatist droid force waiting for them here, even larger than the Water treatment facility guarding Niango. It's a massacre out here, commander. A pack of Acklays are eating the dead bodies as we speak."

"Very well. Recall your scout team and head back to the base. The Chancellor has ordered us back to Coruscant."

"Yes sir!"

Bly put on his helmet and walked out of his command tent. His Lieutenant had told him that the Jedi Knight Barriss Offee was completely unaware of his order. He knew it was nearly impossible of the Mirialan surviving, and it was unfortunate that the hellish Acklays had disturbed any evidence of the Jedi's death. Still, the Jedi had the habit of accomplishing impossible things.

The clone commander of the 327th Star Corps shook his head. He realized that he was thinking that the Jedi Barriss Offee was in the same league as Secura. The Twi'lek beauty was a powerful Jedi after all, and there were rumors that she would soon be granted the title of Jedi Master. She certainly deserved it, being one of the most accomplished Jedi Knights in the order.

Bly pushed away thoughts of his old commander and ordered the men to break camp. The ships were landing soon, and he was eager to get out of the hell hole that was Felucia.

ooo

Barriss woke up to the sound of a loud screech and sat up to see a large avian creature drop down right at the mouth of the cave, with two arrows stuck in its chest. Aayla was giving Harry an incredulous look while the wizard was happily looking at the now dead creature.

"I'm hungry." Harry said after he noticed his friend's look.

"Harry..." The rutian Twi'lek placed her hands on her hips and huffed. "When I said we would hunt for food, doesn't mean you need to shoot down the first creature you see."

"It was flying around in circles around us." Harry crossed his arms. "I couldn't waste an opportunity like that."

"How did you shoot it down with arrows though?"

"Magic." Harry said simply, twirling his wand in front of her, creating a shower of gold sparks. "I cast a spell that shoots arrows from the tip of my wand. You have to admit, you didn't expect food to just drop down from the sky."

Aayla struggled to comprehend how the Force managed to materialize arrows from thin air and shoot it at incredible speed. She finally gave up for the mean time, since she was feeling hungry herself, and withdrew her lightsaber from her belt. As she cut the carcass, the Twi'lek made a mental note to talk to Harry and learn more about his strange ways of manipulating the force.

It couldn't be that _magic_ was the only explanation, she felt the force in him briefly spike as he cast his _spell_. Aayla knew that the force was strong in Harry, but the feel of the energy of the spell he cast was vastly different from anything she had encountered or felt.

The three had finished their shares for breakfast, and Harry absently flicked his wand at the fire, extinguishing it instantly. The temperature was rising, as the sun of the planet rose higher.

"May I see your weapon, Harry?" Aayla asked.

"It's called a wand." Harry said to the two knights. "It's not just a weapon, but a tool to wield magic for wizards and witches from where I come from."

"I feel the force within it." Barriss said, running her hands over the wand. "Strange, it's almost feels alive."

"That's because in some ways, it is." Harry replied. "The wand chooses the wizard as its rightful owner, and it won't work properly for any other."

"And this is because of _magic_?" The Mirialan asked, doubt clearly evident in her voice.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, it's as simple as that."

Throughout the day, the two Jedi discussed their options, debating on their next course of action. Harry observed that of the two, Aayla preferred direct action and suggested bolder plans, while Barriss insisted on patience, and waiting until the Republic forces leaves.

Aayla was more talkative, and both wizard and Jedi found themselves chatting for ours, comparing the similarities and differences within themselves as a Jedi and wizard, and they found that they shared similar traits. The Twi'lek enjoyed seeing the things he was able to do with his wand, and to Harry's amusement, insisted that it was some energy variation of the force.

Barriss also watched Harry's strange powers with fascination, though she often meditated inside the cave, and Harry learned from Aayla that it was the Mirialan's way of coping with her sorrow. She was recently promoted to a Jedi knight, after years of spending her time beside her master, Luminara Unduli.

That night, Harry was absolutely stunned when he saw three gigantic rectangular ships descended from the sky and land on the distance near Niango. Aayla explained to the still stunned wizard that they were called the Venator-class Star Destroyers, the latest state-of-the-art warship used by the Republic against the separatists.

Harry knew that he had somehow appeared in a strange world that had technology that far surpassed Earth's. The strange robots and the monstrous walking tanks was a clue, but seeing the massive spaceship descend from the clouds made him realize how advanced the technology in this universe is.

The two Jedi knights watched with grim faces as their army that betrayed them began to head back into the ships, loading artillery and men into their cargo doors. These men, whom they spent years fighting side by side, were responsible for the annihilation of the entire Jedi Order, in a single swoop.

ooo

Harry was glad that he was diligent in his physical exercises, even jogging early in the morning before he headed to his office in the auror department.

The pace that Aayla and Barriss set was ridiculous, and he knew that anyone else in his department would be hard pressed to stay with them. Both Jedi knights easily ran through the forest floor easily, their long ground eating strides somehow avoiding the tangle of roots and vines that Harry had difficulty with.

He wanted to change to his animagus form, and fly above them, but Aayla discouraged him, concerned that he would become prey to the large avian species and the Acklays that infested the forest. He wondered what Acklays were, but didn't ask since they had already started to descend down the mountain slope towards the thick jungle.

His robes kept getting caught by the bushes, and he had several rips of cloths when they passed through dense undergrowth earlier, but Barriss didn't seem to have any problems with her even longer robes.

And it was hot and humid. He had cast a cooling charm earlier, and it was the only reason he was able to keep up with the two Jedi knights this far. He didn't know why Aayla insisted on going so fast, until they stopped half an hour ago for a water break.

As he eagerly drank from Aayla's canteen, his eyes widened when an enormous praying mantis suddenly appeared before him. There was a blur of blue and the sound of a buzz, and as soon as he dropped the canteen, the giant praying mantis' head was on the floor beside it. He learned what Acklays were, and the reason why they had to run like hell. It was good motivation.

They finally reached a clearing, and Aayla finally signaled for a halt. Harry sighed with relief and rested his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths.

"You did well." Aayla reached out and patted his shoulder, but her eyes widened when she felt a cold sensation in her palm.

She observed Harry closely, and though he was breathing harder than them from the run, he was not sweating as much from the extremely hot and humid climate. His clothes did not look like it had the state of the art dehumidifiers hidden somewhere, and she could feel a slight sliver of the force emanating all over his body. It had to be another one of his strange ways of manipulating energy.

"It's a cooling charm." Harry said, noticing how she was intently studying her palm on his shoulder.

Aayla removed her palm and quirked her lips when she felt the drastic change in temperature. "It must be very effective."

"I'm not used to this heat." Harry admitted. He noticed Aayla's smooth light blue skin glistening with sweat and swallowed. "Do... do you want me to cast the cooling charm on you?" he offered.

Aayla really didn't need to since she was used to the hot climate, but she was also curious about Harry's ability and finally agreed. She left out a soft gasp when a cold sensation began to spread from the point where Harry tapped her arm with his wand.

"Barriss, you have to try this." Aayla beckoned the younger Jedi to her side. A wand tap later, the Mirialan sighed in relief as a cool sensation began to spread out all over her body.

"Much better." Barriss grinned. She pulled her hood back again over her head and gave a thankful nod to Harry.

"How long does it last?" Aayla asked.

"A couple of hours at most, just tell me if it runs out, it's a simple charm to cast." Harry replied. He looked around and noticed that the clearing they stopped into had strange holes dug deep around the perimeter.

There were many stumps of the tree flowers around the field, and it was obvious that someone had cleared the area of vegetation.

"Where are we?"

"This is the old camp, before we moved to the one where we were attacked." Aayla said. "Now that the clones are gone, we could find something that can get off this planet."

"We could ask help from the natives." Barriss suggested.

"I don't think they'll be eager to help us, with our forces abandoning them and failing to stop the spread of poison." Aayla replied. Before she met Harry, she had heard reports of natives going mad, almost feral. "No, it would be better that we look around for parts that we can use, communications devices to gain information, and scout the separatist base to see if they have something useful."

"I understand." Barriss nodded. "I'll look around the surrounding area, and look for anything useful to make camp."

"Good idea." Aayla looked up at the sky. "We better make shelter before tonight. The rains are particularly hard in the evening."

Harry marveled at the way the two Jedi worked together, organized and efficient that would put his auror team to shame. Their composure was unbelievable, they had been betrayed and almost killed by their own allies, but they weren't seeking revenge or lashing out or sulking like he used to do when Voldemort was still alive.

Barriss had found a moderately sized damaged tent that was used by the clones as an infirmary for injured or sick soldiers. Harry had quickly repaired it to the two Jedi's amazement and delight, and the small camp was quickly set up with his help.

Aayla had made quick work of a fallen tree, and had a pile of wood ready for a fire for the night ready by the time Barriss and Aayla erected the tent. A quick lunch later with a strange looking fish that Aayla caught, the three scoured the site for anything of value.

"Not again." Harry looked at his torn robes, exposing the hidden layer of dragon hide armor beneath his dark blue cloth. They had found a republic equipments cache that was mistakenly dropped by a gunship, and it had remained unopened during the Felucia campaign, hidden by the quick growing vegetation.

Barriss was inspecting the medical equipment inside, and had proclaimed them in pristine condition. This bode well for the three, in case anyone of them caught a deadly virus or started to suffer sickness.

"What is it?" Aayla asked.

"It's just that this thing keeps getting caught on things and getting torn." Harry fingered his bulky ceremonial auror robes. He usually wore less so that it wouldn't hinder his movements in a magical duel, but with the demon's attack, he didn't have any time to change and instead rushed to the battle with Kingsley. "At this rate even magic won't be able to fix this."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that armor you wear beneath your robes." Aayla said.

"It's made of dragon hide. It provides an adequate amount of protection against curses and hexes. It's from a Hungarian horntail, I think." Harry replied. "What about yours?"

"This is made of Rycrit hide, an animal we raise in Ryloth." Aayla let Harry touch the hide that covered the entire length of her left arm up to her wrist, knowing how curious her friend was.

"Strange." The wizard mused. "I thought it would be thicker. Does it provide any protection?"

"No, but it's very comfortable to wear, flexible and allows the skin to breathe, ideal for planets with warm climates like Ryloth or Felucia." Aayla spotted the assortment of armor that lay untouched inside the container and an idea formed in her mind. "Harry... what do you think of upgrading your clothing?"

"What do you have in mind?"

ooo

Aayla had an amused expression on her face when Harry stepped out of the tent, clad in his new outfit.

"What do you think?" Harry asked. The blue chest plate on his armor matched well with the pieces of blue robes that flared outside of the chest piece and into his waist. He was surprised as well at how light it felt and how freely he could move, considering how it looked at first glance.

With Aayla's help, he had carefully removed the padding inside to allow space for the dragon hide armor he lined it with. His blue cloak remained attached to his shoulders, flowing out through the gaps between the chest plate and the shoulder armor.

Parts of the white clone armor remained, while some sections showed the black dragon hide leather it was attached to.

"Very dashing. You remind me of a Jedi Master, though his robes were brown." Aayla said. "Can you move freely?"

With a quick flick of his wrist, the wand slipped to his hand from its holster. Harry rotated his shoulder and suddenly spun on his heel, disappearing without a sound in thin air.

"It's better than I expected."

It took most of Aayla's Jedi considerable Jedi restraint not to shriek and slice Harry in two when she heard his whisper in her ear, feeling his breathe in her skin. Even Jedi can be surprised.

Barriss looked up in time to see the older Jedi punch their strange companion in the shoulder. The Mirialan then noticed his new outfit, and for a moment she thought he was staring at another Jedi, wearing similar looking clothes to the ones that Jedi High General Obi Wan Kenobi wore.

Harry laughed and playfully dodged further attempts by Aayla to hit him, and Barriss found himself smiling at the scene. It was good to see Master Secura back to her playful self, she knew how close the Twi'lek was to her men, and their betrayal must have affected her more than she was outwardly showing.

ooo

"What is he doing?"

Aayla glanced at Barriss who stopped beside her and resumed watching Harry as he dragged a sturdy looking wooden branch on the ground.

"He says it's for our camp's protection, though I really don't understand most of what he said." Aayla replied. They had been attacked earlier by a pack of four Acklays, and fortunately all three were able to defend themselves and easily dispatched the deadly creatures.

Harry grew worried about more attacking them on their sleep, and ran off towards the a dozen feet from the tent and picked up a long stick used for firewood and began strange markings into the ground.

"How long has he been doing this?"

"He hasn't stopped since you headed out to catch our dinner." Aayla replied.

"It looks like he's finished." Barriss observed. Harry was now kneeling on one knee and had a dagger in one hand.

The two Jedi gasped when Harry cut his own palm and let his own blood drip on the ground. He pressed his bleeding palm on the earth and suddenly Aayla and Barriss tensed, feeling an incredible amount of force begin to rise up on the ground, tickling their skin with unseen energy.

Aayla rubbed her arms, watching with her force sight as weaves of energy began to form above them, a display of infinite colors that caught her breath.

"Are you seeing this Barriss?" The Twi'lek asked quietly.

Barriss nodded beside her, her eyes unable to move from what they were currently watching. The weaves of energy soon crisscrossed the small area round their tent, and slowly their brightness dimmed and soon faded away. But they could still feel the strange energy around them, pulsing beneath their feet in sync with the dull glow that came from the strange markings Harry painstakingly carved on the ground.

"It's done." Harry had approached them, the skin in his palm unbroken, and the dagger he had used transformed back to the twig it previously was.

"What did you do?"

"It's an intent based ward." The wizard explained. "It won't allow anyone to enter the ward that has the intent to harm those living inside it, or anything we don't want eating us in our sleep."

"Magic?" Aayla asked, exchanging a weary gaze with Barriss. They had, for hours discussed how Harry's abilities are related with the force, but so far they hadn't reached even an explanation that could explain even one of Harry's simplest spells.

"Yep." Harry replied.

ooo

They had been scouring the forest for more than a day, with Harry and Aayla exploring previous battle sites, hoping to scavenge anything useful, while Barriss headed off in a separate direction. Harry and Aayla were inspecting the deactivated separatist droids when they both sensed Barriss quickly approaching them.

"You... have to see this!" The Mirialan said between gasps, but both wizard and twi'lek knight could hear the excitement in her voice.

Harry and Aayla shared a look and quickly followed Barriss deep into the jungle.

"I'm surprised that it's still here." Aayla wiped the dust and mud that covered the transparisteel viewport and when she peered in, she found that the cockpit of her Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor remained intact. Beside it, Barriss' own interceptor looked like it was in the same state, every inch covered in vegetation, strange fungi and vines. Felucia's harsh climate and quick growing vegetation was one of the worst places to park a Starfighter for weeks.

"They must be in a real hurry to leave the planet, most likely the hyperdive rings are still on orbit above the planet." Barriss replied. "So far, we've spotted several crates of republic army equipment that we usually take with us after a battle, because we would likely need them in the next operation."

"And with entire platoons of deactivated droids, that means the war is over." Aayla added, following her fellow Jedi's line of thought. "This only confirms our suspicions, we have to get back and see if there are other Jedi that survived, and without attracting the clones' attention."

"We need to clean this first, and see if there's enough power." Aayla said. "Then a way to move them back to camp."

"We need a lot of water then." Barriss agreed. "There's a small stream a few hundred meters back, we could..."

"_Aquamenti."_

A jet of water suddenly erupted behind them, hitting Aayla's ship and instantly removing the mud and vegetation on its right wing. The two Jedi slowly looked behind them and saw Harry happily guiding a strong jet of water that erupted from the tip of his wand.

"Still don't believe in magic?" The wizard asked.

ooo

After a full day, the tedious task of moving the two Actis Interceptors was finally completed. It would have taken far longer, but Harry's impressive display of transfiguring fallen trees into a makeshift cart for the two ships significantly made things easier.

He in turn, was very much impressed with Aayla's display of a wandless levitation charm when she raised the Actis Interceptor with one raised hand to mount it on the large, transfigured cart. He knew he couldn't hold that weight for long with a wandless levitation charm without showing signs of stress, but seeing Aayla hold it steady for several minutes without showing the slightest strain on her face was mind boggling.

Instead of floating each of the ships in the air using the force for almost five kilometers, Barriss merely made a path through the jungle, while Aayla and Harry pushed the Interceptor before going back for the second ship.

Under the bright sun of Felucia, the Interceptors gleamed in the sun, and the two Jedi couldn't help but watch in amusement as Harry poke prod the two ships. Their companion had shown great interest in the Interceptors, and admitted to Aayla later that they looked _wicked_ even in their damaged state.

"He's been really helpful." Barriss said, watching the human peer through the barrel of the Interceptor's cannons.

"I know. He's really been a gift from the force." Aayla Secura said softly, watching Harry now poke the deactivated astromech droid attached on the interceptor's wing. "Are you leaving this instant?"

"Yes Master Secura." Barriss replied. It was her turn to hunt for food, and Felucia's sun was about to set. They were all hungry after a hard day of work. "I plan to be back here by nightfall, with my ship, if things go according to plan."

The Rutian Twi'lek rolled her eyes. "Just Aayla, Barriss. I'm not old."

ooo

ooo

A/N:

Not satisfied with Sword and Magic, I decided to rewrite parts and change the plot completely.

For example, the original word count of chapter 1 was 6k, but after rewriting it, it is now at 18k words.


	2. Chapter 2: Escape

**Harry Potter: Sword and Magic**

By**: Bluminous**

Chapter 2: **Escape**

ooo**  
**

_**Latest HOLONET NEWS!**_

_**Chancellor Palpatine Survives assassination attempt by the Jedi!**_

_Late last night at his office, Chancellor Palpatine survived an assassination plot by four Jedi Masters. Fortunately for our beloved chancellor, Hero with no fear Anakin Skywalker arrived in time and disposed of the cowardly assassins. Jedi Master Mace Windu was reported among those killed and was later implicated as the one who planned the cowardly attack, along with Jedi Master Yoda._

_In other news, rumors spread of the Jedi of joining the Separatists in protest over the senate's refusal to hand them greater powers. Chancellor Palpatine has declared all Jedi as traitors and by executive order 66, he directed the Republic forces to capture the Jedi by any means and bring them to justice._

_The Senate has passed a resolution, condemning the assassination attempt on the Chancellor.  
_

_**Hero with no fear Anakin Skywalker condemns the attacks on our beloved Chancellor!**_

_Anakin Skywalker, the most powerful Jedi alive has condemned the Jedi council for the cowardly attack. The Hero of the republic had saved his long time friend Chancellor Palpatine from the Jedi Assassins by valiantly holding off four Jedi masters, among them were Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto and Mace Windu, renowned blade masters of the order._

_"What the council did was a cowardly act, I'm ashamed of them... the Jedi have gone into decline in recent years. They grew corrupt, arrogant and now obsolete in this new order." Skywalker said in a quick interview to a reporter._

_Anakin Skywalker has been recently appointed as the special representative of the Chancellor in military affairs. Rumor has it that he will lead a special mission to end the war._

_**Galactic Senate proposes a resolution to declare the galactic republic into the Galactic Empire with Chancellor Palpatine as Emperor!**_

_In a bold move, a coalition of a thousand Senators agreed as one and initiated reforms to create the very first Galactic Empire. This will herald a time for peace, prosperity and stability in our quadrant of the universe._

_Beloved leader Chancellor Palpatine was unanimously elected as the very first Emperor of the Galactic Empire._

_**Jedi War Crimes, finally revealed!**_

___From poisoning the entire water supply for the citizens of the planet Felucia, murdering non combatants in cold blood, to conspiring with the Hutts and the Separatists, Republic Intelligence has discovered numerous war crimes committed by the traitorous Jedi that were previously blamed on the Separatist forces. _

___It seems that the real villains are finally unmasked. More atrocities will be revealed at the Senate hearing.  
_

ooo

ooo

_Felucia_

Harry had just finished washing himself outside the tent and headed back inside and found the two other Jedi finishing their breakfast. He saw his own portion was still hot, and decided to eat first before he put on his new outfit.

"That's healing well." Aayla sat beside him and looked at the small pink scar in his shoulder that was in stark contrast to his skin. "The bruises you have before have completely vanished."

He swallowed a bite of his food and fingered the healed wound. "I heal pretty fast, and you did take care of it when we first met, so no surprise there. And that healing technique you used was amazing Barriss, I think that's the reason why I don't feel any muscle aches, so thanks."

"You don't need to thank me." The Mirialan Jedi replied. "It was with the help of the living force that I healed you, and it was only right to help an injured ally and friend."

"I never asked, but were you in some sort of battle before you got here?" Aayla asked.

"Yeah." Harry remembered the fight with the demon before he blacked out. "I was fighting a demon, some nut job decided to break the laws of magic and summon a creature from another plane of existence."

"A demon? Aren't they supposed to myths to scare younglings?" Barriss asked.

"Oh it's very real, twenty feet tall with a deadly spiked tail. Everything we threw at it just bounced of its thick skin. My partner and I lured it deeper into the building to give the rest of our forces some time to contain it."

"So what happened then? Where is your partner?" Aayla asked. She was curious about the events that lead her new friend here.

"Well, we were tiring out fast and Nymphadora, I mean Tonks, she got injured and I pushed her away from the cavern we had lured it into, and I made the ceiling collapse to bury the Demon with me." Harry's expression darkened when he remembered the tough battle.

"You were prepared to sacrifice yourself? To save your allies?" Aayla asked.

"It's part of the job description as an Auror, and Tonks, she's my godson's mother. I didn't want little Teddy to grow up an orphan like me. I will miss him though." Harry said sadly.

It was strange... he realized that it was only now that he was beginning to think of those that he left behind. The series of strange events did not give him much time for thinking, and when they finally found some time to rest, he was too tired and often fell asleep quickly.

"You say you're not a Jedi, but you possess the qualities that we value." Aayla smiled in amusement. "I guess there are people like the Jedi in the other places in the Universe out of our reach."

"What do you mean?"

"Self sacrifice, commitment, bravery." Aayla listed of the things she observed in her new friend. "The Jedi exists to bring balance and maintain order, wielding the living force to do so. Isn't this your duty in your own world?"

"It is." Harry grinned. "There's no _Force_ there though, only magic."

Aayla playfully hit his shoulder at his joke and continued. "You wield the same energy we do, but in a different way."

"What is _the_ Force anyway?" Harry asked. He was interested in their view of the powerful energy he sensed in the both of them, yet reluctant to believe that magic was real, despite the dozens of display he had shown them.

"The Force is what binds us together." Barriss answered. "It is everywhere, inside our bodies, the air we breathe, the trees and plants that surround us, even that blade of leaf in your finger. We commune with it, and it gives us wisdom and guides our actions. Without the Force, no life is possible."

"Sounds like magic to me."

Aayla sighed and Barriss had a slight frown on her face, though Harry could tell they were amused by the small smiles on their lips.

"Stubborn." Aayla added. "You have that trait that Jedi unfortunately have."

"You said the Jedi are the keepers of the peace." Harry looked at their faces. "What are you doing fighting this war then? Isn't that for soldiers?"

"You mentioned earlier that you have defeated the Dark Lord of Magic in your world?" Aayla asked. Harry nodded while Barriss looked surprised at her fellow Jedi's question.

"This war, I believe, is orchestrated by the Sith." Aayla said and Barriss nodded, having reached the same conclusion through her own meditation. "The Jedi were forced from their roles as arbiters and mediators of disputes, to leading the new army that the republic has mysteriously created from nowhere."

"And as the war dragged on for years many Jedi died, bleeding the Order of its best and brightest." Aayla continued, and Harry saw a hint of sadness in her beautiful face. "Young padawans not yet ready for combat were forced into the front, only to die as the enemy continued to evolve, learning to fight the Jedi through years of warfare."

"We came to depend on our clones armies, as we were sent to fight in more remote planets as the war began to spread farther and farther into the outer rim. And when the Jedi were stretched thin, unable to help each other, the Dark Lord of the Sith, whom I know believe is the chancellor of the Republic, ordered the clones who are unable to resist an order to kill us in one swift stroke."

"Sounds like a very dangerous opponent." Harry observed. "For him to have tricked all of you for years, planning a war whose sole purpose is the annihilation of your Jedi Order."

"He is." Barriss agreed. "We have hunted down leads regarding his true identity, and we have recently killed what we thought was the Dark Lord, but it turned out that he was merely the apprentice. Palpatine now wields the entire might of the Republic Forces, and I worry about the thousands of worlds who are now at his mercy."

"What do you plan to do now?" Harry asked.

"Find any other Jedi that survived this purge." Barriss replied immediately. "Then we need to find a way to eliminate the Sith."

"No." Aayla shook her head. "We first need to survive."

ooo

Harry watched the two Jedi continue to pile a small mound of power packs and fuel cells they had scavenged from the separatist supply camp. He really couldn't help, since he knew nil about what could be useful to repair a pair of admittedly awesome looking space ships. The wizard had happily accepted his task of watching the camp while Aayla and Barriss disappeared into the forest.

Having spent a few days with the two Jedi, he couldn't help but marvel at the level of physical fitness the two had. As an auror, he diligently maintained a level of fitness that was superior to most, but these two clearly surpassed his own. He could feel the aches in his muscles from the two days of hard work trying to keep up with Aayla, and twi'lek didn't even show the slightest hint of slowing down.

"I think that's all the parts we can find within a day's distance from the camp." Aayla wiped the sweat from her brow.

"We still lack essential tools." Barriss added.

"Then we'll just have to improvise." Aayla sighed and sat under the shade beside Harry. She was about to ask if he was willing to use his water trick to cool her down when they heard a distant rumble.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Someone's coming." Aayla immediately stood up and stared at the distance, her hand over her eyes to see farther. Barriss was doing the same, and for a few minutes nobody spoke as the distant rumble grew louder. "It doesn't sound like any gunship or military republic craft."

"Pirates and smugglers rarely stop at Felucia." Barriss said. They could see a faint speck in the distance, and watched as it steadily grew larger and larger. Unlike the Republic gunships with their trademark high pitched screams caused by their engines, the noise signature in this craft was lower, usually used for hauling cargo or heavy equipment.

Harry noticed that the two Jedi visibly relaxed while their hands moved away from their lightsabers.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Jedi." Aayla replied with a smile. She waved her hand to the strange ship that flew by and they followed its progress as it slowly turned around and headed back at their direction in a slower velocity.

"How do you know?"

"We feel it through the force." Barriss said.

"No really, how'd you know?"

Aayla ignored Harry and moved closer as what looked like a small freighter slowly lowered itself in the clearing beside their camp, its landing gear extending from its hull. Dust and leaves flew around, kicked into the air from the exhaust of the freighter's engine. A ramp was already being lowered, and Aayla and Barriss were already a dozen feet from the ship, eager to greet their fellow Jedi while Harry stood beside the pair of Actis Interceptors.

The hatch slid to the side with a hiss and a figure in brown robes stepped down the ramp.

"Shaak Ti." Aayla Secura stepped forward and hugged the Jedi Master, while Barriss gave a respectful nod.

ooo

Shaak Ti, Togrutan Jedi Master of the High Council couldn't help but smile at seeing Aayla alive and well with the company of another Jedi, after the massacre she had witnessed in the Jedi temple. She hugged the twi'lek back and after releasing her, gave the young Jedi Knight Barriss Offee a slight bow in return.

"You survived." Shaak Ti whispered. "Thank the force."

"How did you find us, Master Ti?" Barriss asked.

"I sensed a strange disturbance in the force... no, not a disturbance but something entirely different." The Jedi Master corrected herself.

"I decided to investigate its source, and it led me here." Shaak Ti's gaze swept over the other two Jedi Knights before it returned back to the male. She thought at first that it was another Jedi, wearing customized clone armor similar to Obi Wan's, but her force senses told her another story. "And it looks l found the source."

"This Harry Potter, a friend and ally." Aayla placed a hand on the wizard's shoulder. "He's the reason I survived the clones' ambush, and provided invaluable help in saving Barriss' life. Harry, this is Jedi Master Shaak Ti of the Jedi Council."

"The force is strong in you Harry Potter." Shaak Ti stepped closer and extended a hand. "I thank you for saving my fellow Jedi sisters' lives."

Harry looked curiously at another strange red skinned alien and shook her hand. Shaak Ti had strange protrusions from her head like Aayla's, though hers looked more elaborate, with dark blue bands lining to the top of her head down to the tails. At first he thought it was an elaborate headpiece, but upon closer inspection he noticed that they were actually part of her head.

"I was just repaying the favor." Harry replied. "Aayla saved my life when I first got here."

"And how did you get here?"

Harry shrugged not yet sure about the events that led him to this strange world, but Aayla answered. "He appeared through the Force, Shaak Ti, from thin air. The force manifested itself in a strange pattern of energies, and then unveiled his presence before my very eyes."

"Very strange." Shaak Ti still hadn't let go of his hand, while her voice turned more serious as she regarded him.

She could feel his strength. His mere touch caused her skin to tingle. "I sense you have a deeper purpose here, Harry Potter."

ooo

Harry leaned on one of the tent's thick poles and continued to listen to Shaak Ti's story. What he heard disturbed him, it sounded very similar to Voldemort and his death eaters' tactics during the war.

"They are all slaughtered? Even the younglings?" Aayla asked in a horrified voice.

Shaak Ti nodded. "I barely escaped. The clones of the 501st showed no mercy, and they certainly deserved their reputation as the most effective fighting force among all the clone armies. They were well trained to fight us."

"But certainly some escaped." Barriss argued. Her composure was close to breaking. First, it was the betrayal of her allies, and then she felt a terrible tragedy had befallen on her fellow Jedi. To hear confirmation on what she felt in the currents of the Force made it worse. "You escaped, Master Ti. The other Jedi could have protected the temple long enough for an evacuation."

"They were brutal and well prepared for the assault." The Togrutan replied. "And they were led by Palpatine's new apprentice."

"Who?"

"Skywalker." Shaak Ti's expression became grim. "He was the one that led them inside the temple after killing the gatekeeper."

"No!" Aayla gasped. Of all the Jedi knights she knew, she had thought that the most powerful, the most skilled of them all had survived the purge.

Anakin Skywalker, the hero with no fear.

She remembered teasing him with the name given to him by the Holonet reporters, and the powerful young man laughed it off and told her that it was the Chancellor's idea to boost morale. It made sense why Palpatine would pick Skywalker as his new apprentice, but she couldn't fathom how Skywalker allowed himself to be seduced by the Dark Side of the Force.

"He calls himself Darth Vader now." Shaak Ti continued. "I fought him, and barely survived. He slaughtered the older padawans and the younglings right there, and he made me watch."

Tears formed in the Togrutan Jedi Master's eyes, and she bowed her head to prevent her companions to see them as they fell down her cheek. "He's not the same person we fought with against the separatists. He's a monster, worse than Grievous ever was."

"What happened then?" Barriss asked.

"While I stole a ship, I heard news that Master Yoda and Kenobi had somehow snuck inside the temple and reversed the Jedi beacon." Shaak Ti added. "Skywalker had changed it to send out a message ordering any unsuspecting Jedi that survived the purge to head back inside the temple immediately."

Aayla visibly relaxed when she heard that two of the council's more powerful masters had survived. Master Yoda especially, his wisdom and foresight was invaluable against the Sith.

"A trap obviously." The twi'lek said. "Have you managed to make contact with Master Yoda or Kenobi?"

"I was on my way here when I heard it from the Holonet, Aayla. Though there are reports that Master Yoda had attempted to assassinate Palpatine inside the Senate building, but he managed to escape." Shaak Ti replied. "They are probably hiding from Emperor Palpatine, like we are."

"Emperor?"

"He has declared himself as Emperor, supreme ruler of the galaxy. The majority of the senate passed a resolution, changing the republic into an absolute dictatorship. An Empire ruled by the Dark Lord of the Sith."

"We need to contact them." Barriss said. She glanced at the small freight ship parked beside their camp, and back to her fellow Jedi. "We now have transport out of this planet, when are we leaving?"

"Not for a few days at least." Shaak Ti replied. "I've intercepted some communications traffic from the smugglers about sightings of Imperial Warships heading back to Coruscant. A large fleet is passing by this system, and we cannot risk being detected."

"Then we will have to wait." Aayla said, standing up. "We could use the time to repair the Interceptors and rest."

"Agreed." Shaak Ti said. She stood up as well and stared once more at Harry Potter."And perhaps I can use the time to learn more about a fellow force user."

Harry gave Aayla an annoyed look he saw her trying to hide her smile. It became a game between them, trying to convince the other of what their powers should really be called. "It's magic, Master Shaak Ti."

"Magic?"

ooo

Aayla was delighted when Shaak Ti revealed that the small freighter she used had a standard array of tools that smugglers and scavengers often used to dismantle parts and scavenge rare materials. In a span of a few hours, the twi'lek had managed to replace the depleted fuel cells of her Actic-2 Light Interceptor, and cleaned the engine after she removed the panels. Her astromech droid also remained intact and appeared undamaged after it was recharged, and it with its help, damaged parts were quickly identified and fixed.

Barriss' own Interceptor was not as lucky as Aayla's, suffering from severe damages to its control surface unit. Her own Astromech droid never activated after they charged up its battery, and after an attempt to fix it, Barriss discovered a thick mat of fungus thriving inside its alloy shell. The Interceptor's engine was also leaking and had severe damage to its thrusters, and that meant that it was practically useless. Instead of attempting to repair it, all three Jedi agreed that its parts could be used to repair Aayla's Interceptor and even modify the ship.

Harry nearly jumped when he felt something hard bump into his leg, and he looked behind him to see the strange robot was trying to get his attention. It emitted a series of whistles that varied in pitch and volume and he stood dumbfounded, wondering what a robot might need of him.

"He won't harm you."

Harry heard a giggle and saw Aayla walking towards him, her face and arms covered in grime after spending hours dismantling Barriss' Interceptor.

"What does it want?"

The robot's dome head rotated and focused at Aayla before it turned once more and looked back at Harry. It emitted again a series of whistles and beeps.

"It looks like you're standing on a tool that R8 needs." Aayla pointed at the hydrospanner under Harry's foot.

"You can understand it?" Harry asked as he removed his foot from the tool. A panel opened on the robot's body and a thin metallic claw extended from it and grabbed the hydrospanner. It whistled a few notes and headed back to Aayla's Interceptor.

"Not all of what they say, but when you spend more time with astromech droids, you become more familiar with their language." Aayla replied. "That last one means thank you."

"That thing's freaky." Harry declared. It unnerved him that something with intelligence moved around the camp, and that he could not sense it with his magic.

"It's harmless." Aayla laughed. She took hold oh arm and tugged him into the direction of the tent. "Come on, I'm hungry and Shaak Ti wants to talk to you."

ooo

The chair suddenly morphed into a shaggy brown dog before the three Jedi's eyes. It circled around them, its tail wagging in delight as they stroked its fur before it sat obediently around Harry. The wizard tapped his wand on the dog's nose and it morphed back to a chair.

"That's transfiguration." Harry said. "It's one of the most commonly used branches of magic in my world, along with charms."

"Does it turn into an actual animal?" Aayla asked.

"It does, but unlike a real animal, it has no intelligence or any independent thoughts. It is up to the caster to determine how it behaves, and the personality it will have." Harry replied. "Anything else?"

"So without the wand, your people will be unable to use their magic?" Shaak Ti asked.

"Pretty much." Harry nodded. "Disarm them of their wands, and they'll be defenseless. That's why wands are treated with reverence and respect- it is the symbol of magic of a witch or wizard. To break a wizard's own wand in front of him is considered the ultimate insult."

"I must admit what you told me is a bit confusing." Shaak Ti shook her head. "The force, or magic as you say it, exists inside of us. For you not to be able to do any magic without your wand puzzles me."

"I didn't say I'm completely powerless without my wand." Harry slipped back his wand back on its holster attached to his wrist.

"But you just said..."

"There are a rare few wizards and witches that have grown powerful enough that have gained the ability to master magic without the need of a wand." Harry said. "However, manipulating raw magic without a wand makes it more difficult, less precise and wasteful of the magic used."

"How?"

"I use the wand for spells that require little power, but where precision is required." The wizard explained. "Some spells work best without a wand, since all it really needs is raw magic, like this."

He pointed his right hand to the metallic chair he had earlier turned into a dog and sent a bludgeoning curse. The chair flew past the tent flap and they heard a faint thud in the distance. Harry concentrated on the chair and summoned it, and a moment later it flew inside the tent but at a slower pace. He smoothly switched from his summoning charm to a levitation charm and settled the now dinged up chair upright on the ground.

He looked up and saw three pairs of eyes looking at him with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable. Then as Shaak Ti opened her mouth he knew what she would say, and he knew Aayla would find it amusing.

"_Jedi!"_

ooo

Harry took a bite out a piece of roasted meat that Aayla shared with him, all the while observing the spar between Shaak Ti and Barriss Offee. The Togrutan Jedi Master had suggested that they practice their skills in their free time, seeing that they would soon leave the relative safety of Felucia and back into Imperial Space.

It amazed the wizard as he watched the two Jedi, his eyes could barely follow the lightning quick moves both performed with their lightsabers. Their blue lightsabers hummed in the air, only to collide with each other in a regular pattern. Every time the two blades of bright blue light connected, Harry heard the distinct sound of lightning strikes.

It looked like a dance between them, with Shaak Ti leading, since she appeared to be more aggressive while Barriss reacted to her movements, her steps slow and steady.

As Harry observed the spar closer, he began to notice the difference in their movements. Barriss rarely moved, instead using her lightsaber to deflect the attacks from the Jedi Master from all directions, and showed great flexibility at avoiding the strikes that her lightsaber couldn't block.

Shaak Ti's movements were elegant and refined. She danced around Barriss, her lightsaber in a one handed grip while she attacked with piercing strikes and slashes that were unpredictable. The Togrutan also performed feats of gymnastics, doing back flips over her opponent while simultaneously attacking, or performing kicks that pushed Barriss back as she was hit on the shoulder or thigh.

"What do you think?"

Harry glanced at Aayla who sat down beside him on the fallen log and looked back at the spar.

"Wow." It was all he could say and he heard the twi'lek chuckle.

"I mean, I knew you were fast, when we briefly fought, but after watching them now..." Harry shook his head in disbelief "You could have easily chopped of my head back then."

"I wouldn't do that." Aayla replied. "You were clearly confused and your reaction was understandable, and you showed restraint too."

"I wouldn't want to hurt someone as pretty as you." Harry teased and nudged his friend with his elbow.

He focused back on the spar, unaware of Aayla's amused expression and voiced out another observation. "Aayla, why is it that they move differently from one another?"

"It's because they trained in different lightsaber forms."

"Forms?"

"Fighting styles." Aayla tore a strip of meat from Harry's lunch and ate it. She chewed for a moment and continued. "There are seven lightsaber forms that a Jedi learns, though it's common to learn another form aside from the one you master."

The two watched as Shaak Ti casually blocked Barriss' attack, before sidestepping her opponent and attacking in turn.

"Shaak Ti is a master of the second form, called Makashi, also called the contention form." Aayla lectured."This style is best used against other lightsaber fighting techniques."

"And Barriss?"

"Barriss Offee has trained like her old Jedi master in the third form, Soresu, the resilience form. It is the most defensive oriented style in all the lightsaber techniques, that it's almost passive."

"That explains why Shaak Ti initiates most of the attacks." Harry nodded. He looked at Aayla who was now licking her fingers after she finished his lunch and asked. "What about yours?"

"I have mastered the fifth form, Djem So, also called the perseverance form." Aayla threw away the now clean bone and crossed her arms. "It's an offensive oriented style, using speed and strength to overwhelm an opponent's defenses."

"And what's your other fighting style?" He just knew she had another style, like Shaak Ti.

"What makes you think I have one?"

"I just know." Harry replied. "Those toned arms of yours aren't just for looking pretty, and you punch pretty hard."

"It's called Jar Kai, a form that requires two lightsabers in combat." The twi'lek answered after laughing. "It's not a form commonly taught to the Jedi, but it's a style that allows for offense while still maintaining a defense. It's a fighting style that works best when facing multiple opponents"

"Sounds like an effective style." Harry commented.

"It is, but it has its own weakness just like the others." Aayla admitted. "To use two lightsabers in battle means that a practitioner of Jar Kai concentrates mostly in their weapons, leaving one vulnerable to force based attacks."

"Then there is the disadvantage in strength, since I'm only holding a lightsaber with one hand." Aayla continued. "That's why I'm training my strength and speed to overcome this weakness. I only use this form if a fellow Jedi is fighting beside me."

The two water canteens beside Harry suddenly floated past them and they saw Shaak Ti and Barriss had finished their spar. The Togrutan caught the two canteens and handed the other to Barriss. Shaak Ti looked like she was giving advice to Barriss, and the Mirialan closely listening to the Jedi Master's words.

"Let's go." Aayla said to Harry and she started walking towards the center of the field.

"Go where?"

"It's our turn for the spar." Aayla replied. She looked excited, which made Harry a bit wary. "It will be a good practice for you, and I'll finally be able to see your full capabilities."

"It's a good idea." Shaak Ti said and Barriss nodded in agreement. They too were curious about his prowess in battle, and Barriss wanted to see more of the marvelous display of power she had seen earlier.

"If you're sure." Harry followed Aayla in the middle of the field and stopped a few dozen feet away from her. "Don't chop my head though." He joked.

"I won't, it's just a friendly spar." Aayla reassured her friend with a smile, feeling his apprehension and doubt. "We'll just aim to force the other to surrender or knock out each other."

"Right, no deadly spells." Harry nodded. In smooth motion similar to the Jedi drawing their lightsabers from their belts, Harry's wand flew to his hand as he lowered his arm to the side. He watched Aayla closely, knowing how fast she could move, a spell ready in his mind. But the twi'lek just stood there, still as a statue, and he tightened his grip on his wand in anticipation.

Aayla extended her senses through the force, and her awareness of her surroundings increased. One with the force, she was the wind that gently blew through the small clearing, the blades of grass brushing on her ankles, and even her sparring partner.

The twi'lek Jedi focused on Harry, and through the force she saw his real form. Energy surrounded him, bright, dazzling... powerful. She saw what he actually was- a bright fountain of light that gave her hope in these dark times.

Fully immersed in the force, her vision returned to normal and she knew that her opponent would initiate the spar. He raised his wand and in a quick motion, and various colors of energy erupted from his wand towards her. The force guided her movements, deflecting the attacks easily and sending even a few of his attacks back at him.

He merely swatted them aside with quick flicks of his wand, all the while sending even more powerful looking spells, one she knew she wouldn't be able to deflect them all. She decided to attack, leaping forward at an incredible speed, the trademark of Djem So, and quickly cut down the distance between them.

Harry moved back at the same moment, he knew that he would be at a disadvantage if she got within sword range. She moved to his left, trying to get behind him while dodging spells he sent at her, and with quickness that surprised the wizard, she changed direction, running full sprint towards him.

Columns of rock suddenly erupted in front of her path towards the wizard, and Aayla had to cut through them, only for Harry to vanish once she cleared the obstacles. Vines erupted from the ground, trying to coil around her feet, but she easily cut them off and finally found him standing on top of a column of rock, his silhouette blocking the sun.

'Is this how it feels to fight a _wizard_?' Aayla paused for a moment, calmly observing Harry Potter. His attacks were unpredictable, and knew to keep his distance from her, using obstacles to disrupt her movement.

She pushed her arm forward, and the force she gathered at her arm blasted towards Harry in a powerful wave. Aayla expected him to fall, but she only gaped when a translucent round silver shield appeared in his left hand and blocked the energy she sent.

It caused a deep sound as the energy was dispersed, but it didn't let her distract her and raised her lightsaber above her head and angled away from her, ready for his counterattack. He had the high ground.

Aayla expected the powerful spells to come hurtling down at her position, but nothing came, and suddenly she felt force warn her of danger. The twi'lek heard the hissing sounds similar to that of lizards, and found the pieces of vine that she had earlier cut into pieces had suddenly transformed into snakes, and a particularly big one had managed to circle around her ankles, binding her feet together.

The Jedi knight easily cut the snake in two and forced the other snakes away from her with a push of the force. She performed a back flip a second later when Harry launched himself off from where he stood, spells of various colors hurled at her at incredible speeds.

It was Aayla's turn to remain on the defensive as Harry poured on his attack, spells shooting off his wand and left hand in a rapid pace that would put a turbo laser to shame. She gave way, moving backwards step by step, her blade humming around her in a blinding defensive velocity, deflecting his attacks as fast as he sent them.

He didn't even bother to dodge the spells she deflected back at him with her lightsaber, letting the silver shield on his left arm block them while he continued pushing forward. Dust quickly shot up from the dry earth as the columns of rock he had used slowly collapsed around them, blocking each other from sight.

"_**Expelliarmus!"**_

The dust parted when a strong spell blazed through it, and Aayla felt the air knocked out of her as her lightsaber was ripped out of her grip. Harry emerged from the dust cloud, quickly heading towards her, red beams flying from his wand. Instead of retreating, the twi'lek rushed forward and leaped through the air, and in an incredible display of athleticism, twisted her body to avoid the spells. She then extended her hand, calling her lightsaber back to her.

Harry clearly did not expect this, and they collided in mid air and they dropped to the ground hard. The dust finally cleared, revealing Aayla straddling Harry's chest, the blade of her lightsaber near his neck. She felt the tip of his wand, poking her at her side, and when she looked down, she saw a red glow from its tip.

They both breathed hard, staring at each other for a moment, and Aayla noticed for the first time that he was wearing a small smile on his face, and it mirrored her own. He clearly enjoyed their brief battle.

"Draw?" Harry asked, his cheeks flushed from the heat.

"Draw." Aayla nodded. She deactivated her lightsaber and Harry slipped back his wand to its holster.

The twi'lek slowly got up from her friend, and offered a hand to help him up.

"That was an impressive display." They both heard Shaak Ti walking towards them. "To hold your own against Aayla Secura in a spar is a feat not many Jedi can accomplish."

"It was just a spar, and she wasn't going all out." Harry replied. "She also has the disadvantage of facing a wizard, while I have seen how a Jedi fights, along with your spar with Barriss."

"That maybe true Harry, but you haven't faced a Jedi before." Aayla said, patting his shoulder. "You did well, and I enjoyed our spar. Perhaps we may continue to practice later?"

"Sure." Harry agreed. "It was a nice work out, and I never had to fight like that since facing Death Eaters."

"How did you climb on top of that rock column?"

"I apparated."

"Really? But I didn't hear any noise."

"It's easier for a wizard to apparate alone. When you're I'm taking someone along in side along apparition, it makes it slightly difficult, and creates more noise in the displaced air. How did you that blade twirling while in mid air?"

Aayla laughed. "Through practice Harry, lots and lots of practice."

"I thought you were going to say that it was this mysterious force helping you."

"That too."

Both twi'lek and wizard continued towards the tent, discussing their brief spar, leaving Shaak Ti and Barriss staring at their backs.

"What did you think of their spar, Barriss?" The Jedi Master looked at the Mirialan that was still staring at the tent where Harry and Aayla disappeared into.

"I never expected the level of their spar to be that high." Barriss confessed. "Master Secura treated it like her opponent was a Jedi Knight."

"She sensed that he could handle the spar at a higher level, and he did so, admirably well." Shaak Ti replied. "He truly is powerful."

"And the way they fought..." Barriss looked thoughtful, replaying the spar in her head. "It was if they had been sparring for years."

"Aayla did say the he appeared to her through the force. He could have appeared in any other planet and in front any other Jedi, but the force has led him to her." Shaak Ti murmured. She had seen how close Harry was to Aayla, and Barriss told her earlier that the two had formed a quick friendship, a connection that she could already feel even before her arrival.

"I feel that the answer to that mystery, only the Force knows." The Togrutan added.

"Master Secura has formed a close relationship with Harry." Barriss observed. "What do you think of it, Master Ti?"

Shaak Ti did not reply for a moment, and her keen hearing picked up Aayla and Harry's laughs inside the tent. The famous rutian twi'lek was notorious for being among one of the more _liberal _Jedi, often skirting the Jedi code.

Rumors of a romantic interest with Jedi Master Kit Fisto were widely gossiped among the younger Jedi, and many had observed her friendly relationship with her clone commander. This drew criticism among other Jedi, among them was Barriss' own Jedi Master, Luminara Unduli a real by the book Jedi. Controversy seems to surround Aayla Secura, and her refusal to wear the brown Jedi robes only drew more attention to her.

Some masters had even made comments about her revealing outfit, claiming that it had distracted their padawans from training whenever she was inside the Jedi temple.

"It's in her personality to be friendly." Shaak finally spoke.

"Too friendly, I think." Barriss replied. "The level of affection they show towards each other suggests they are attracted to each other."

The Togrutan laughed. "I expected that of you, considering who trained you. She likes him, and from what I've seen he likes her. It is up to the Force where it leads us. If her heart leads her to a path to him, then I will not speak against it."

Shaak Ti glanced at the Mirialan who had a thoughtful look on her face and started walking back to the tent. "I sometimes feel that the only thing we lack in the Council was love."

ooo

Night had fallen in Felucia, and Aayla's modified Actis-2 Light Interceptor was safely stored in the cargo hold of the small transport ship. It had passed several test flights with the astromech droid controlling it, and Aayla had taken the agile spacecraft into low orbit and visually confirmed that the hyperdrive docking rings were left by the clones. She connected her Interceptor into one and brought it back to camp, and now properly stored alongside its starfighter.

It was their last night on the planet, and tomorrow they would leave with the freighter Shaak Ti stole called _Rapid Runner. _After a long discussion, they had decided to head to Alderaan, knowing that Senator Bail Organa was among the stoutest supporters of the Jedi Order, and he was one of the few politicians that the Jedi Council (even Mace Windu and Master Yoda) had come to trust.

"You seem anxious."

Harry chuckled and poked the burning logs deeper into the fire with his stick. "It's just that I never thought I'd be able to go into outer space in my lifetime. How long will it take to get to this planet Alderaan?"

"Three days at most." Aayla replied. "Despite its name, the Rapid Runner has a small hyperdrive. At least you could use the time to familiarize yourself in space."

"Yeah." Harry said. "I always wanted to float like those astronauts I've seen on the news. I can't wait to try it out!"

"Float?" Aayla tilted her head to the side, a confused expression on her face.

"There's no gravity in space, right?"

"I see what you mean. Travelling for days without gravity is very inconvenient, that's why almost every ship you might see has an artificial gravity generator."

"No floating then?"

"Well, we could turn it off for a time, If Shaak Ti agrees." Aayla found Harry's childlike excitement endearing. "I suppose floating in space is a novel experience for a first time space traveler."

The rutian twi'lek stood up and stretched, well aware of Harry's eyes on her. She met his gaze, and for a moment neither spoke a word.

Aayla decided to break the silence, and tugged his arm to force him to stand up, a habit Harry noted that she liked to do. "We need to get some sleep, we'll take the second shift after Shaak Ti and Barriss, and it will be a long day."

"I don't even know the first thing about piloting that." Harry said and gave the freighter a glance. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You'll be sitting in the co pilot's seat beside mine, monitoring the sensors." Aayla replied. "It's a simple task, and I'll teach you how to operate the console."

"You could have just said that you'd be bored and want my company." Harry grinned.

"The Jedi do not get _bored_." Aayla said dryly. "If there's nothing pressing to do, Jedi meditate and commune with the force."

"It's also called sleeping." Harry laughed when Aayla smacked him in the arm. He grew more comfortable in their friendship the longer he spent time around the twi'lek, and was pleasantly surprised when he noticed that Aayla's sense of humor matched his own. "I'm kidding, I know meditation, I also practice it."

"Get to sleep space rookie." Aayla ordered.

ooo

_On board the Royal Alderaan Corvette Tantive IV, Alderaan Space_

The Tantive IV loomed over the traffic of smaller transport and freighter ships, casting its shadow over them as it made its way to Alderaan from the asteroid colony of Polis Massa where a medical station was located.

Inside the corvette, a small green figure sat cross-legged on top of the chair in one of the conference rooms, with his gimmer stick lay across his lap. His eyes suddenly snapped open as he sensed something in the Force. He looked out of the large viewport of the conference room, showing him what he already sensed through the force.

Yoda willed the communications station by the door to activate with a gesture of his hand and the face of Bail Organa, senator and ruler of Alderaan appeared on the screen.

"Master Yoda? Is something wrong?" Bail Organa asked.

"Hail that small ship you must. Important matters I have to discuss with its occupants." Yoda, the Grand Master of the Jedi Council replied.

"Which ship? There are dozens in the general vicinity and it will be a security risk to hail them all."

"On the portside of the Tantive IV, the ship is, parallel to our course, it is." Yoda stared through the large viewport at a small freighter matching their velocity.

Bail Organa nodded and began to relay orders to the captain of Tantive IV, while the ancient master used the opportunity to commune with the Force. Yoda smiled when he felt the familiar presence of Jedi. He was relieved that the few surviving Jedi had managed to find him. He would not be alone in the rebuilding of the Jedi Order.

Yoda's long ears perked up when he felt another presence, something that in all his 800 years he never experienced before, and it was puzzling. But it was also a refreshing change to the oppressive clouds of the Dark Side that had plagued his sight for more than two decades. The force itself had somehow found a way. Yoda found realized he was eager to find the source of this strange, yet familiar feeling.

"Master Yoda! You wouldn't believe it!" Bail Organa said from the screen, his face showed excitement, his cheeks flushed with red, in stark contrast to his beard. "There are Jedi on board that small freighter! It had hailed us using a tight beam frequency, and Master Shaak Ti just spoke to me, requesting permission to dock!"

"Good news this is." Yoda nodded. Shaak Ti was a powerful and cunning Jedi Master, and it was not impossible for her to survive the clones' assault. The Togrutan Jedi Master was known for her preference of operating alone, and unlike other Jedi, she did come to rely heavily on the clones for their support. He thought he had sensed her presence a few days before when Bail Organa helped him and young Kenobi escape Coruscant.

"Have them dock, speak with them quickly, I need to."

"Of course Master Yoda, their ship is docking as we speak. I'll send them to the conference room at once." Bail Organa bowed.

"Have the Jedi's gratitude, you have. And mine as well." Yoda bowed in thanks for the aid the Alderaan Senator provided. He knew the consequences would be severe for Alderaan, if the newly established Empire got wind of what Bail Organa was up to.

All Jedi were declared traitors, and a hefty bounty was promised to anyone with information that would lead to their capture. Already bounty hunters across the galaxy were reported to be scouring the outer rim planets, looking for any Jedi that might have survived the purge. Bail Organa had literally saved the existence of the Jedi order with his generosity and selflessness, by giving them sanctuary and the support of his planet that a lone Jedi could not hope to gain.

Friends were hard to come by in these dark times.

Again, the ancient Jedi Master was proven wrong, and it was another reason why the Jedi needed to change, aside from the insight he learned while battling with the Dark Lord of the Sith. Mace Windu and the other masters had always shown distrust to any politician, even those that supported their cause. Bail Organa and his few allies had proven themselves to be worthy of a Jedi's trust.

Padme to Yoda's eyes was not a politician, though many claim that she was one of their greatest queens, and later senators that lead and represented Naboo. She was a warrior first, providing valuable help and unwavering support to the council. Jedi do not cling to the past, but he would fondly remember her memory.

The Freighter docked with the larger Tantive IV and the Alderaan crew, all loyal supporters of their Senator and Monarch, stood to each side of the main corridor and welcomed the four figures that came on board.

The Alderaan royal guards and the Tantive IV crew recognized a few prominent Jedi, Shaak Ti and the beautiful rutian twi'lek Aayla Secura and exchanged awe struck looks among each other once the Jedi passed. They had heard and seen a few of their exploits against the Separatists, and now they were walking right past them. The images of the rutian twi'lek through the Holonet did not do justice to the rumors about her beauty- she was even more gorgeous in person.

ooo

"Master Ti, Master Secura I am happy to see that you have survived." Bail Organa greeted the two Jedi warmly and bowed his head in their direction. "Also you Master Offee, Master Yoda spoke highly of your healing skills."

"It is good to meet you Senator." The Mirialan bowed in turn showing respect for the famous senator.

"I am also grateful to still see our allies in the Senate, Senator Organa." Shaak Ti said. "The Jedi are in your debt"

"There is no debt Master Jedi, how could we refuse aid to those who are the keepers of peace and justice?" Bail Organa shook his head. "Now, Master Yoda told me to show you where he is staying. He is most anxious to meet you."

"Is Master Yoda the only one that survived in Kashhyk, Senator?" Aayla asked.

"As far as I can tell. He escaped his pursuers with help from the Wookies, by hiding him in a small escape pod." Senator Organa replied while he guided them through the corridors.

He looked curiously at the only male member of the newly arrived group that remained silent so far and studied his appearance. It was a young man, in his late teens or early twenties perhaps, and he had strange green eyes. The young man walked closely beside Aayla, and the senator assumed that he must be her padawan.

"Pardon, but you did not introduce me to your Padawan, Master Secura. I'm glad he survived, I feared only the masters and exceptional Jedi knights had enough skill to survive this purge." Bail Organa turned to Harry and addressed him directly "You must be an exceptional Padawan to have survived where your peers did not."

Aayla laughed and Shaak Ti smiled. "He is no Padawan of mine, Senator. He is my friend."

"Ah, another Jedi Knight then." Bail Organa said and gave Harry an apologetic bow. "Good to have you with us, Master Jedi."

"He is no Jedi." Aayla said as she glanced at Harry. The wizard smiled in turn and continued to follow Aayla while he looked around the largest ship he had come on board. The clean lines and the spacious interior of the ship made the Rapid Runner looked like a junkyard.

"Then what is he?" The senator asked. The human male was wearing a variant of the clone armor he had seen on some of the Jedi like Master Kenobi, and he certainly had the presence that did not look out of place beside Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura, famous war heroes during the recently concluded Separatist War.

"Something that is entirely different that even we are seeking answers to." Aayla replied. "All will be explained senator, but for now we need Master Yoda's wisdom and guidance."

"Yes of course." The senator replied. "Here we are. I will leave you to your Jedi business then, and call me if you need something."

"You have our gratitude Senator." Shaak Ti, Barriss and Aayla bowed in gratitude and entered the room, followed closely by Harry.

Harry found himself in a modest size room that had a beautiful view of the Asteroid cluster, where a strange structure was attached on one of the larger asteroids. The stars were beautiful and he couldn't even recognize a single constellation, but he was still fascinated with the sight. The Rapid Runner only had small viewports and the view during the journey wasn't much.

He noticed a small green...thing sitting on top of a chair. It was tiny, about three feet tall with large eyes and pointed ears, like a house elf.

"Overjoyed I am to find all of you well." Yoda greeted them, and Aayla was surprised to see that the ancient Jedi was actually smiling.

"We are glad that you are here too Master Yoda." The three Jedi bowed in respect. "We seek your counsel. The Sith..."

"Yes. Given great thought about the recent events, I have. Sit, and introduce me to your friend, you must." Yoda focused on Harry, his large eyes staring at the wizard's eyes.

Harry blinked back, the green little thing that was called Yoda even talked like Dobby, but the house elf even knew how to speak sentences in the correct order.

"This is my friend and valuable ally, Harry Potter. He has very strange yet powerful force abilities that I have never seen before, and he used them to save my life and Barriss'. He suddenly appeared moments before the order was sent out to kill me." Aayla glanced at Harry who was looking with great interest at Yoda that he had not even correct her when she mentioned his force ability.

"Grateful I am, for the lives you saved." Yoda bowed deeply in front of the wizard. "Welcome, Harry Potter."

"It was right thing to do, and I couldn't just let her die." Harry replied. He noticed that Yoda's large pointed ears twitched the same way as Dobby's and he wondered if there elves in this universe.

"Curious you are, and a puzzle in your mind you have." Yoda observed.

"You just remind me of a friend I have back in my world." Harry said and sat down beside Aayla.

"Perhaps discover about the true nature of my race, you have, hmm?" Yoda extended his senses towards their visitor. "Strong in the force you are, very strong. Sense it, I do."

"Yeah, Aayla, Barriss and Shaak Ti told me that a lot."

"But see through your mind, I cannot. Feel you emotions I do." Yoda frowned when encountered a force based barrier. He felt uncertainty, curiosity and fondness for a certain Twilek. He was certainly interesting, and he could feel the young man's strong convictions. He was a being for the light as much as Yoda was and this was comforting.

"I block my mind from mental probes through Occlumency, the art of forming mental shields to prevent external forces from trying to influence my mind." Harry glanced at Aayla. "Though I recently learned that when I'm not on guard, an empath like Aayla here can sense emotions I am feeling."

"Intriguing, taught to you it has been? Learn this I can?" Yoda asked with genuine Interest.

"If you want I can teach you... all of you" Harry said and he looked back at Aayla who looked like she wanted to learn too, as well as Barriss and Shaak Ti. The Twilek smiled faintly and patted his arm on the table in gratitude.

"Yes, willing to learn we are. Appreciate this I do. Now for other matters..." Yoda looked at the three Jedi in front of him and took a deep breath. It was disconcerting to the three Jedi to see Yoda looking so defeated. "A grave mistake I have made, and only realize this in my battle with Darth Sidious. A most valuable insight if you will."

"A mistake Master Yoda?" Shaak Ti asked.

Master Yoda rarely made mistakes, she didn't even know if the ancient master was capable of making one, he was the wisest among them all and could see farther than anyone into the force.

"A mistake we have made in training our Jedi. Evolved and change the Sith has, exploited our weakness they have. So do we need to change- evolve we must, to survive." Yoda said. He closed his eyes for a moment, a thoughtful look in his face. "This valuable insight, I have learned, while facing Sidious."

He had managed to pierce the cloud of the dark side of the force that blocked his sight for decades in his battle with the Sith Lord, and now with fellow Jedi around him, the next task was for them to figure out what they will change in to.

"Tired you all are, and rest you need to. Aayla, a few minutes with you I require." Yoda said.

Harry looked back at his friend but Aayla nodded for him to go ahead, and the other occupants of the room stood up and left. The wizard looked at a corner before he left the room where he saw something, but did not say anything and hurried after Shaak Ti. After all, ghosts were normal in his world, and it was logical that these Jedi could see them too.

"Grown attached to him you are." Yoda observed.

"He's a really good friend." Aayla stared at the Jedi Master's eyes, prepared for a scolding. "I value his friendship very much, Master Yoda. He's the reason why I haven't succumbed to despair."

"His feelings for you I sense, fondness, and perhaps more. But attraction in both your eyes I clearly see." Yoda replied.

"Master I am..." Aayla began but she stopped talking when the ancient Jedi master held up his walking stick to stop her from speaking.

"Explain this you do not have to. Understand I do." Yoda said as he looked at the young Jedi knight.

"Forbidden are commitments and relationships in the old Jedi Order. A weakness the old Order has, to repress the love and affection for others we felt. Darth Sidious, this weakness he used to lure young Skywalker to the Dark Side of the Force."

"Senator Amidala" Aayla said. The notoriously 'hidden' affair was a well favorite topic among the senators and some of the Jedi. They were just afraid to confront Palpatine and Obi Wan to bring it up to the Senate and the Jedi council respectively. Of course, Skywalker thought he was doing well in hiding his affair but everyone was just scared of him and his friends to bring the matter up in front of his face.

"Yes. If allowed their love to flourish... perhaps young Skywalker would not have chosen the dark side. But the past the Jedi does not cling to, and to love is part of the living Force. Realize this I do." Yoda said and he stared out of the viewport. "Always been criticized, you have, in your actions and decisions by some your peers. But perhaps closer to the truth you are, after all."

"Condemn you I do not, of what path you choose to take." Yoda smiled gently at the young Jedi. "Meditate, I will."

Aayla took it as permission to leave and used her senses to follow Harry, while her mind whirled with questions and possibilities. How did Master Yoda and Master Shaak Ti see through her? She understood and felt Harry's developing feelings for her, she was an empath but she was used to receiving such emotions from her clones. She had a lot to think about.

Aayla spotted the mop of unruly black hair ahead of the corridor and realized that Harry must have been waiting for her. She smiled at the guarded look Harry gave a passing gold plated protocol droid that paused for a moment and took the time to greet the wizard. Even though Harry showed admirable calmness at handling what had happened to him in the past few days, simple droids like her astromech R-8 and others like it made him wary and suspicious.

When she asked about it earlier while they were still on Felucia, Harry confessed that he wanted to be on guard if the robots suddenly decided to rebel against their organic masters and take over the world. Aayla's laughing fit continued for several minutes, causing Harry to declare that he would never confide in her again. It took Aayla a few hours to coax Harry out of his brooding, with a promise of letting him ride on her now modified two-seat Actis Interceptor.

ooo

"Strange person, he is." Yoda said aloud. He was alone inside the room, yet a voice answered him, but only he could hear its faint whispers. And it wasn't due to his large ears that he could hear the voice, but his new connection and sensitivity to the force that he was now studying.

_"Yes old friend. And he even saw me."_

"He did? Advanced than I am this Harry Potter is, to be able to see you in your astral form." Yoda mused. "What do you think of him?"

_"He is the chosen one of his own world, and unlike ours he succeeded in defeating the dark lord and his hundreds of his supporters." _

"Very lucky, his world is to have someone like him." Yoda commented, the widening of his eyes the only reaction he had to the revelation he had heard. "Through the Force that he got here, yes?"

_"Yes. He was transported here by an act of self sacrifice to save his friend. He would serve a greater purpose here. Fear not Yoda, he will resist the temptation, he has already proven himself." _

"Truth in your words I hear old, friend. Feel the light in him, and warms my heart to see it." Yoda said. He felt Qui Gon Jin vanish from his force sight, and he resumed his meditation to hide his light side presence from Darth Sidious' senses.

He would need to find a place soon to hide and train with his fellow Jedi, and fortunately, Yoda knew a planet that even Palpatine and his extensive intelligence network would never find. He alone knew its exact coordinates.

ooo

"What's that?"

"That's rikuan ribs."

"And that?"

"Green Shofols for Alderaan. They're really good Harry."

"Alright I'll get one... and Aayla, is that a tail?" Harry gasped as he saw the thing twitch. "It's still alive!"

"That's a delicacy, a tail from a Gwindian Lizard." Aayla stabbed it with her fork and placed it on her tray.

Harry peered closer and looked at the _delicacy_. He had no problems eating the food they hunted in Felucia, since meat was meat after all, but this... dish, he gave it another look and finally decided to move on.

Aayla saw him look at the tail with uncertainty and to tease him she bit a chunk of the tail and chewed on it, all the time enjoying the horrified look on Harry's face.

"Bloody hell!" He saw yellow liquid ooze out from the bite mark Aayla made at the tail. "That's so wrong."

Aayla laughed and stabbed another Gwindian tail and placed it into Harry's own tray to the young man's shock.

ooo

_Despayre, Horuz system_

"I sense a great disturbance in the Force." Emperor Palpatine said to his apprentice as they both stood in front of the large viewport, on the bridge of the newly outfitted Dreadnaught class Battleship Mas Ramdar. Around them several Venator class Star Destoyers provided escort to the Imperial Flagship.

Emperor Palpatine's new apprentice remained silent as he stood beside his master. His deep harsh breaths, controlled by machines implanted within his body were audible to those around him, while they pump oxygen to his blood. Lord Vader's lungs were burned in the hot ash of Mustafar a week ago in the fight with his old master, Obi Wan Kenobi.

"Yoda has completely vanished from my senses." Emperor Palpatine said as he walked closer towards the enormous viewports, his apprentice right beside him. "That little green _freak_ has managed to elude us."

"I shall hunt him down master." Lord Vader's deep bass voice offered. It was completely unfamiliar compared to his old voice, but he was getting used to it.

His optical sensors focused on the frown on the skin of his master, and he knew that he was still angry at allowing Yoda to escape his trap. It was rare for Palpatine to use such words, especially within hearing of the Bridge officers.

"No, my friend." Emperor Palpatine laid a hand to his apprentice shoulder. "I need you here near Despayre, already sabotage slows down the station's construction. I need you to enforce discipline and take care of the security. This is your priority."

"As you wish, Master." Darth Vader replied. "What about Yoda and Shaak Ti?"

"I have ordered the entire 501st and the Star corps to hunt them down from their last known location. Imperial Intelligence reported that Shaak Ti was last seen in Coruscant, stealing a ship to escape."

The Emperor of the newly established Galactic Empire gazed at his latest weapon, admiring its skeletal frame. It would soon bring fear to those who still oppose his authority. It was a glorious beginning to the new age of the Sith.

"That old relic is beaten, and he knows it. He would not be much of a threat now that the full might of the Empire is behind us. These last remaining obsolete Jedi will die and turn into dust at the winds of change." He continued.

Emperor Palpatine gave a last look at the shipyard where his new ships were being built, and slowly walked back to the hangar. It was time to deal with his political opponents and detractors on Coruscant.

"Prepare my shuttle Lord Vader."

Officers froze in fear as the Emperor of the Republic walked past them, escorted by the menacing figure of Darth Vader and the procession of the Imperial guards, clad in blood red robes.

ooo

_Dagobah, Sluis Sector_

A prismatic burst of real space reversion appeared in low orbit above the Dagobah. The newly refitted Rapid Runner (with help from the Royal Alderaan Engineers)and its crew of five observed planet that had patches of green amidst the white color before it started to descended into the atmosphere.

"How can you see where we are going Aayla?" Harry asked as he looked at the fog filled atmosphere of Dagobah. The fog was so thick that visibility was only good for a few meters.

"It's the force that guides my hand, Harry." The twi'lek felt the force nudge her hands on the controls to correct her direction and the Rapid Runner once more swerved to the side, revealing tall trees that they would have hit if the ship didn't turn..

"That's not very reassuring." Harry replied while he looked out the window. Shaak Ti gave him an amused look from the co pilot's seat and looked back at her instruments.

"Where shall we land Master Yoda?" Aayla asked. They had been travelling for two days nonstop to avoid Imperial Cruisers, and it was tiring for the two alternating pilots. "I feel that the force is telling me to head here." She added.

"Show you a suitable landing spot, I will." Yoda closed his eyes and waved his hand. Harry gaped when the thick fog suddenly dispersed in front of them, as if a large hand swatted it aside. The wizard stared back at the ancient Jedi Master with undisguised awe on his face.

At the very bottom, they noticed a clearing big enough for their ship to land, and Aayla and Shaak Ti worked in concert to land the freighter through the thick branches of the trees. After half a minute, they felt a small bump as the Raid Runner finally landed, and Aayla leaned back on her pilot's chair with a smile.

The ramp lowered and the Jedi and one wizard took in their new surroundings.

"Perfect." Yoda walked forward, his gimmer stick supporting his every step.

"Perfect, this is." He repeated.

"Master... that cave under the tree." Shaak Ti stared at the tree at the far end of the clearing. "It reeks of the dark side of the force!"

It was an ominous sight, a tree that looked dying and sick, compared to the other trees in the area. It had no leaves, and its branches twisted around itself, casting a dark shadow around its base. Large, thick roots had sprouted off the ground, and to Harry, it looked like the dying tree tried to uproot itself and walk. There appeared to be an underground space underneath the tree, the roots forming an entrance, and from there they could feel an ominous energy emanating from within.

"Yes, discovered this planet I did, after we learned of Kamino. Existence of this planet, only I know." Yoda reached a boulder and sat upon it, almost looking like a native of the planet. "Hide our presence, the planet will."

"But the cave?" Barriss asked.

"Died in that cave an ancient Dark Jedi had. Now corrupted the land is, and absorbed by that tree, his dark energies are." Yoda pointed his gimmer stick at the cave. "Use to negate my light side signature from Darth Sidious, It will. Safe from the Sith Lord's sight, we are."

"Wise as always master Yoda." Shaak Ti said as she observed their new sanctuary. The ground they stood on was one of the few that were solid. Most looked like swamp and entangled roots of trees and plants, floating above the water's surface. Vines hung down from every conceivable direction and green moss covered every bark of every tree.

Half the day was spent setting up a permanent camp, but unlike Felucia, they were better equipped, thanks to Bail Organa. Water filters, durable tents and food supplies were set up and arranged, as well as special communications equipment to allow secure and untraceable communication with Alderaan.

Again, Harry was amazed at the efficiency and work ethic that the Jedi had. They seemed to understand each other without even speaking, helping each other with tasks and then moving on to the next. Even Yoda was helping, easily lifting several crates with a casual wave of his hand in an awesome display of wandless magic that would put his own mentor, Albus Dumbledore to shame.

Night had quickly set, and unlike Felucia's clear night skies, Dagobah remained covered in thick clouds, though there were was the occasional patch of clear sky, revealing its blue moon.

Yoda had retired early, setting his own tent under a tree nearest the cave, while Barriss and Shaak Ti shared to share a tent, and used Barriss' own tent to house the communications equipment. The word tent was actually misleading, each was the size of a modest sized room that could easily hold two bunks and still have space for storage. The tents were made of plasteel, a durasteel reinforced plastic substance that was flexible, yet rigid enough to provide adequate protection from wind and rain.

No one was really feeling talkative, each keeping to their own around the campfire, the only sound coming from the cracks of the burning wood. The reason for the silence wasn't because they were low in spirits, and Harry guessed it was because of the journey, having spent nearly a week travelling from the core world of Alderaan to the very edge of the outer rim.

Finally Shaak Ti stood up and decided to turn in early, and Barriss followed her lead, leaving Aayla and Harry alone around the camp. They had pitched their tents on the opposite side of the field, near the Rapid Runner.

"I'll go on ahead." Harry stood up and yawned, stretching his arms and massaging his neck. "Want me to take care of the fire?"

"Go ahead." Aayla nodded. "I'll take care of it."

Drops of water started to fall down on her shoulders, and slowly rain started to pour. The fire they had died, blanketing the field in darkness. Lightning flashed, illuminating the entire area before a thunderous boom followed seconds after.

The rain grew stronger, and Aayla and Harry ran across the field and inside the tent.

"I said I'll take care of it!" Aayla scowled at Harry once they were inside.

"It wasn't me." Harry combed his wet hair with his fingers and removed his wet cloak.

"Uh huh."

"Honest!" Harry insisted. "I was surprised myself, and I'd never conjure rain just to snuff out one small campfire."

"Are you sure it wasn't any of your magic tricks?"

"I'm sure." Harry stared at Aayla's soaked form, where beads of water trailed down her blue skin. A drop of water caught his attention as it slid down her neck, past bumps of her collar bone and soon disappeared down her cleavage. He swallowed and forced his eyes up to her face, and noticed her expression. "You're having me on again Aayla."

The twi'lek just smiled and placed her lekku in front of her and gently massaged them, pushing the drops of water down the tips of the brain tails. "I really thought you were responsible for the rain as payback for the incident earlier."

"You mean turning on the gravity generator while I was floating high near the ceiling?"

"Yes, that."

"That was no incident! You did it on purpose! I even saw that smile on your lips before I crashed to the floor!" Harry said. "And here I thought Jedi were supposed to be humble and generous, Master Yoda said so."

"Even Jedi have limits to their patience." Aayla said dryly. Harry had kept asking her if they already reached Alderaan space, the novelty of space flight and zero gravity quickly wearing off for the excited wizard. Travelling in hyperspace for days did not much provide much of a view, aside from the streaks of starlight caused by travelling at speeds faster than light.

"You didn't have to drop me to shut me up." Harry ran his wand from his hair down to his chest, the drops of water flying towards the tip of his wand like a vacuum. He turned to Aayla who had stepped closer to him, and without another word, the wizard ran the tip of his wand on her, drying her soaked friend in seconds.

He quickly removed his customized outfit, leaving him with in his trousers and aware that Aayla's eyes were on him. Harry sat on his own simple cot and saw that Aayla had made herself comfortable on the empty one across the tent.

"Not feeling sleepy?" He asked.

"We had just finished our rest when we arrived here, and I don't feel like sitting alone inside my tent."

"You can stay here if you want." Harry offered. He took of his boots and lay down, and after a moment, rolled to the side to face her.

"So..." He began. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't take an empath to know something's bothering you, so spill it." Harry propped his head on his left hand and stared at Aayla.

"I was thinking of the recent events since we've met." Aayla took off her boots and sat on the cot, and pulled her knees close to her chest. Her gold brown eyes stared at his, while she rested her head on the rigid tent wall.

"And all of them would not have been possible, without your help."

"I told you, that's what friends do." Harry replied.

"Yes, very good friends, I think." The rutian twi'lek graced him a fond smile. "Don't you agree?"

"We did seem to hit off from the start." Harry mused. "Well, aside from that fight we had."

"You even called me a blue angel." Aayla said slyly.

"I don't remember that."

"You just arrived, and you were bleeding and it looked like you had a nasty hit to the head." Aayla replied. "When you opened your eyes, you told me I was a blue angel."

"Of course I'd say that." Harry said, now remembering the events. "I thought I died, and the next thing I saw was this pretty face. You had to be an angel and I'm in heaven."

Aayla laughed. "I'm glad you did not die, for we would have never met, and all this..." the twi'lek directed her arm around them "...would not have come to pass."

"We may never know. I might have really died back in my world." Harry looked sad for a moment, as if remembering something important. "My mentor once told me that death is not to be feared, that it was the next great adventure... and it looks like he was right again."

"You do not fear death?"

"I do not fear it anymore." Harry smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you someday." Harry turned on his back and stared at the ceiling.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you miss your world? Your friends and family I mean?"

"Of course I miss them." Harry replied. "There's little Teddy, and his mum Tonks. I think you'd like her, she reminds me of you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Tonks has a wicked sense of humor, and she's one of the most capable witched I know, powerful and agile, and deadly with a wand. Then there's Ron and Hermione, they're my best friends since I was little."

Aayla studied her hands for a moment and slowly sat up. "If... If you were given a chance right now to go back to your world, would you take it?"

Surprised by Aayla's question, Harry turned his head and looked at her and slowly sat on the bed. He studied her intently, a thoughtful look on his face. Several minutes passed until he finally answered.

"Strangely enough, I wouldn't."

Harry's serious expression softened when he saw the look of surprise on her face. He stood up and in a few strides, reached her cot and sat beside her.

"Why?"

"I already told you, I don't abandon my friends." Harry said softly and placed an arm around her shoulder. "And you need my help more, from what I've seen and heard. I'm supposed to be dead, but here I am, a second chance, and I'm grateful for it."

"You're suddenly transported from your own world, leaving your family and friends." Aayla mused. "And yet here you are, taking everything so well, performing admirably in situations I'm sure must be so strange and difficult for you."

"It would have been harder, if it were not for you."

"Me?" Aayla looked surprised.

"You're the reason why I'm not freaking out over every little thing. You patiently explained and answered every question I asked." Harry replied. "If somehow there was a way that I could have gotten back to my own world without having met you, I'd have taken it."

"Oh."

"Yeah, you're that important." Harry smiled and squeezed his arm tighter around her shoulder to emphasize what he said. "Besides, I'm sort of used to it, being plucked from my home and into a strange new world."

"Before I knew I was a wizard, I was just a kid that experienced strange things around me, furniture suddenly floating in air, things suddenly disappearing, or injuries healing faster than normal. It really freaked my relatives out of their wits." Harry grinned when he remembered his first day at the London Zoo.

"If you were born in the republic, a representative from the Jedi Temple would have recognized those accidents as a certain affinity and sensitivity with force. I am sure you would have become a Jedi." Aayla replied.

"Sounds, similar to the way things and witches handle magically gifted children." Harry observed. "In my world, a professor or representative from the nearest magical school would inform the parents of the magical child of their powers, and offer them a place in the school to train their powers."

Harry noticed one of Aayla's lekku was over his right shoulder, and absently massaged it with his left hand. "Anyway, I didn't really have a hard time adjusting in the magical world, because of two people who would later become my best friends, Ron and Hermione. And it's the same in this... universe and I met you."

"It wasn't a good first meeting." Aayla smirked when she remembered their brief battle.

"Yeah, but it worked out in the end right?" Harry squeezed her shoulder again. "We better get some sleep Aayla. Master Yoda told me that he had some exercises that he would like me to do, and a demonstration of some of my tricks."

"Knowing Master Yoda, you will probably collapse from exhaustion within the first hour." Aayla grinned.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Harry noticed that Aayla looked quite comfortable on the other cot and after a minute of trying to work up the courage, finally decided to ask. "Do... you want to stay here? Share this tent I mean. It's awfully big, and we could use your tent as storage for more equipment."

Aayla's smile didn't vanish, and she regarded Harry for a moment, her head tilted to the side. Harry was holding his breath the entire time as Aayla considered his offer.

"Yes, I'd like that."

The next morning, Aayla moved her own luggage inside Harry's tent, and they decided to use her tent as a storage facility for their other supplies.

ooo

"Strong stamina, you have, but need to practice more, you do."

Harry emptied the water from his canteen and wiped the sweat from his brow. Yoda suggested a quick run, and it turned out to be an obstacle course through the jungle. It was difficult, and Harry was sure he wouldn't have lasted that long if they were on Felucia with its unbearably hot climate. Dagobah was considerably cooler, but it was still humid, especially during the day.

"Rest you do." Yoda suggested. "...and practice the form I showed you. A powerful tool your wand is, but useful the knowledge to wield a lightsaber also is."

"I understand, Master Yoda." The wizard nodded. "I'll practice them later with Aayla. Do you need something else from me?"

"Curious to learn more of this magic, I am." Yoda replied. After seeing the powerful spells that Harry cast, the ancient Jedi Master was nearly left speechless for a moment, something never seen before by the other Jedi.

Barriss did whisper to him after Harry's demonstration that the 'spells' he used were nothing compared to the power he wielded earlier on Felucia, when he singlehandedly took on an entire Clone company and an AT-TE.

The force was truly wonderful, and even now after centuries of trying to unlock its mysteries, he knew he barely scratched its surface.

"Discuss it tomorrow, we shall." Yoda added. "Practice, you must."

"I will..." Harry slowly stood up, towering over the Jedi Master. "...and thanks again for this." He tapped the small lightsaber that was clipped on his belt. "Are you sure you won't need it? Aayla told me the importance of a Jedi's lightsaber."

"More use for it, you have." Yoda smiled and walked away.

"Finished already?"

Harry saw Shaak Ti approaching and nodded. "Yeah, he had me running through the forest with him on my back!"

"Physical exercise is important to a Jedi, as important as maintaining the mind and spirit." Shaak Ti replied. "Jedi must always be in peak physical condition to maintain the Jedi way of life and our duties."

"I know, you're all in terrific shape." Harry eyed the tent farthest from the camp. "Even Master Yoda, you wouldn't believe how quickly he moves if he wants to."

"I may have an idea." Shaak Ti smiled. She noticed the lightsaber attached on the belt of his trousers and looked back at Harry. "That is Master Yoda's lightsaber. He lent it to you?"

"He gave it to me." Harry unclipped it and held it in his left hand. "He said that I would need it more than he does."

Shaak Ti studied him for a moment, causing him to look away, unaccustomed to her scrutiny. Finally she spoke. "If you need additional lessons, just ask me."

"Thanks, though I'm sure I'll never be a master in it." Harry replied. "I just noticed, but how come this lightsaber's shorter than the others? Does whoever manufacture these lightsabers have different models?"

"There is no manufacturer." Shaak Ti replied. "It is a rite of passage for every Jedi to construct their lightsabers."

"That explains the different designs." Harry nodded, impressed at their dedication.

"Correct." Shaak Ti raised her hand, and Harry felt his newly owned lightsaber tug from his grip by an unseen force, and let his grip loosen. The shorter lightsaber slowly floated to Shaak Ti's hand. She activated it, and its shorter, bright green blade sprang from the hilt.

"This type of lightsaber is called a _shoto_. This type of lightsaber produces a significantly shorter blade than the others." Shaak Ti lectured. "This blade is suitable for one with short stature such as Master Yoda, but is commonly used for those that fought with dual lightsabers like Jar Kai, since it is easier to control a shorter lightsaber."

"Aayla said she knows Jar Kai." Harry replied. "But her lightsabers are as the size as yours and Barriss."

"Aayla Secura doesn't just know Jar Kai, she's a master of the art." Shaak Ti easily twirled the short green lightsaber in her hands before deftly turning it off in a quick move before she handed it back to its new owner. "She's easily capable of using Jar Kai wielding regular sized lightsabers. She has the physical strength and agility for it."

"I wonder if I could spar with her using both blades." Harry mused. "Where is she anyway?"

"She's with Barriss, hunting for food in the river." Shaak Ti replied. "Why don't we check up on them?"

"Sure." Harry felt better after his early morning run. "Lead on."

ooo

The Togrutan Jedi Master never really had a chance to speak with their new ally. Back on Felucia, most of the days were spent repairing Aayla's Actis-2 Interceptor, and salvaging useful parts of Barriss' heavily damaged star fighter.

On board the _Rapid Runner_ on route to Alderaan Space, Harry spent most of his time with Aayla, though she did exchange a few words with the wizard during meals. It was the same with the voyage here to Dagobah, and she was preoccupied discussing plans with Master Yoda.

There was one thing she did notice, Harry and Aayla were unusually close, and she could clearly see that they were attracted to each other. She was not against it- Shaak Ti was among a few Jedi who believed that relationships should be allowed within the order.

Yoda didn't appear to mind Aayla and Harry's close friendship, in fact, she had seen the ancient Jedi Master smile whenever he saw the two laughing, eating together and sharing a joke... she even saw Harry fall asleep on the twi'lek's lap during their voyage to Dagobah.

If this was any indication of the direction the new Jedi Order was headed, she heartily approved of it.

They finally reached the river that fed into the swamp, and heard the distinct sound of a lightsaber humming in the air. Harry brushed a branch that blocked his view in time to see a gigantic fish leap out of the water, its mouth lined with sharp teeth headed to the blue figure hanging on a vine above the river.

"Bloody hell!"

Aayla Secura raised her feet at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the deadly jaws. She quickly gave the large fish a powerful kick, sending it to the river bank where Barriss waited with her lightsaber ignited. A few elegant slashes with the blue blade and the large fish's head fell to the floor, along with the rest of its body that was now cut into four manageable pieces.

The vine Aayla was hanging from suddenly moved towards them, as if pushed by an unseen force and the twi'lek gracefully dismounted and landed lightly on the bank, a few steps from Harry. Her balance was perfect.

"What the hell was that?" Harry asked. The head of the enormous water creature landed a few feet in front of him, its jaws that could easily swallow even him opening and closing.

"Hey Harry." The twi'lek smiled softly at the wizard. "This is our food for the next few days."

"And we have the necessary food storage equipment to make sure it will not be wasted." Barriss added. "It's good that you're here, moving this amount of meat will be easier."

"It does look appetizing." Shaak Ti observed, unconsciously licking her lips. Food from the sea was a Togrutan favorite.

ooo

"Retire for the night, I must." Yoda said to the group and started walking back to his tent. His four companions observed his retreating figure for a moment until it vanished in the gloom.

"He's always sleeping early." Barriss said.

They had just finished eating their portions of dinner, and the three Jedi were all feeling lively, unlike their first night on Dagobah.

"He mentioned on board the ship that he was studying under a new teacher." Shaak Ti replied. The Togrutan saw the confused faces of the two other Jedi and shrugged. "I know, of all of us, Master Yoda is the one who I think needs the least to study."

"And who is this teacher he mentioned?" Aayla asked. She noticed Harry was still looking at the direction of Yoda's tent and touched his forearm. "Harry?"

"It's probably that ghost, Qui Gon Jim." Harry replied.

"What?"

"Ghost?"

Seeing the confused faces around him, the wizard elaborated. "I've been seeing this ghost since we arrived in Senator Organa's ship. He was there when we first met Yoda, and I saw him a few times here on Dagobah."

"You saw... Master Qui Gon Jin?" Shaak Ti slowly asked.

"Yeah, though he's the strangest ghost I've seen." The wizard replied. "When I asked Master Yoda this morning, he said that it was on old friend teaching him a deeper understanding of the Force."

Silence greeted him, and Harry noticed that the stunned faces around him had not changed. "Aren't ghosts normal in this world?"

Three heads simultaneously shook their heads in reply.

"Well, it's pretty common from where I come from." Harry said. "I had a ghost as a history professor for seven years at Hogwarts, and the last time I visited the school, he's still there, teaching the new generation of wizards and witches."

"When you said Master Qui Gon is different, what did you mean?" Aayla asked.

"He feels different from the ghosts I've seen." Harry rubbed his chin. "Somehow, he could travel across the galaxy. Usually ghosts are unable to move freely, since they're attached to a particular place, preventing them from moving on to another plane."

"What is this Hogwarts you speak of?" Barriss asked.

"It's a magical school for untrained witches and wizards. For seven years, starting from the age of eleven, we were taught how to wield and use magic, much like your Jedi Temple and its padawans." Harry glanced at his favorite twi'lek. "From what I understand from Aayla, your padawans are recruited at a much younger age, and that the training frequently reaches into adulthood?"

"Yes, usually padawans are taken in as early as infants to four years, though there are some exceptions." Shaak Ti replied. "It is not uncommon for padawans to reach knighthoods in their mid twenties."

"Wow. That long?"

"Some padawans considered their Jedi Masters to be their father or mother figures." Aayla replied, remembering her own Jedi Master and father figure, Quinlan Vos. She wondered if he survived... there was a possibility, even if Senator Organa reported that he didn't manage to contact any other Jedi on Kashhyk aside from Master Yoda. But she had to focus on the here and now, and thinking of the fate of her old master was for another time.

"How was your life when you were a student of this Hogwarts?" Aayla asked, curious about Harry's life and at the same time, she didn't want to think more about the fate of her old master. Jedi do not cling to the past.

"It was really interesting." Harry replied. "Hermione and Ron, I told Aayla about them earlier, they became my best friends in Hogwarts in my first year there. Aside from them and a few other friends, the school environment was difficult for someone like me."

"What do you mean?"

"I did tell you all about the Dark Lord I defeated in battle right?"

"Yes, I'm very curious to hear more of it." Shaak Ti admitted.

"When I began my first year at Hogwarts, I learned that I was famous for something I did when I was a baby." Harry began. "The Dark Lord Voldemort had found where my parents were hiding when I was a year old and killed them. Because of my mother's love for me, the killing curse that he cast on me rebounded and hit him instead."

"No one had ever survived the killing curse before. No one, except me." Harry looked at the serious faces of his audience of three and felt Aayla's grip on his arm tighten. He lifted a few locks of hair from his forehead and showed the thin lightning shaped scar. "The Killing Curse hit me here, and since then people called me the _boy who lived_."

"You told me you were not aware of the magical world until a Hogwarts professor had come to your home." Aayla said. "That must have been difficult, handling attention in your first year."

"It was." Harry nodded. "I was always gawked at, even along school corridors that first month. But having friends really helped." The wizard smiled at Aayla who returned it.

"Your world has some strange titles for you, calling you the boy who lived." Barriss observed.

"That's nothing." Harry laughed. "Later, when Voldemort came back in full power, people started calling me the chosen one."

Barriss coughed and suddenly spat out the water she had been drinking, and Harry found the usually prim and quiet Mirialan with water spilling out of her mouth amusing. He disguised a chuckle with a cough.

"They called you... _the chosen one_?" Aayla asked slowly, exchanging surprised looks glances with her fellow Jedi.

"They did." Harry replied, unaware of the strange looks he received from Aayla since she was sitting beside him, and at Shaak Ti, whose face was partially obscured by shadows. "I learned that there was a prophecy that had been made before I was born, foretelling the birth of someone who had the power to vanquish him."

"And you did." Shaak Ti stated. She couldn't help but compare Harry to another 'Chosen One', one who was also strong in the Force, and showed potential to be the greatest Jedi she had ever seen.

Anakin Skywalker.

"I never really believed prophecies at first." Harry replied. "But Voldemort believed it and was determined to get rid of me ever since I started learning magic, so it was self fulfilling. I had no choice but to fight back and survive."

"You have fought this Voldemort while in school? Before you were fully trained in your magical arts?"

"Several times, almost every year while I was at school." Harry pushed a log deeper into the fire, feeling a slight chill despite the warmth Aayla provided by sitting closely next to him. "I first met him at the end of my first year. He offered me power and immortality... that he would bring back to life my parents, and to join his side."

"What happened?" Aayla whispered. Harry's story mirrored many of the Sith Lords trying to seduce Jedi to the dark side.

"I rejected him of course." Harry replied. "I didn't want power or immortality, and though I wanted to see my parents badly, even for a moment, I knew even then, that nothing, even magic can bring the dead back to life."

Harry Potter faced the three Jedi listening attentively to his every word and smiled. "Besides, a very brave wizard once told me that our loved ones never truly left us."

The wizard looked up and for once saw the thick clouds had cleared, revealing the unfamiliar night sky. He couldn't find any familiar constellation at all. "They're always here, inside us, and everywhere, watching us."

"Very wise words." Shaak Ti whispered. "Very wise words indeed."

"It is." Aayla agreed. She looked at Harry who was still staring at the sky and squeezed his arm, feeling the emotions inside him at that moment. He truly was special, and she was very lucky to have met him.

"Anyway, there is one question I wanted to ask after we arrived in Alderaan." Harry said after gazing at the stars. The clouds had rolled in and covered the night sky, plunging the camp in darkness again, save for the light of the camp fire.

"What is it?" Shaak Ti asked.

Harry looked around for a moment and leaned forward and whispered. "Why does Master Yoda speak backwards?"

"That..." Shaak Ti controlled her face to hide her smile. She saw out of the corner of her eye Barriss covering the lower part of her face with her sleeve. Aayla had buried her face on Harry's arm, and she could hear muffled giggles from the twi'lek. "...is one of the great mysteries of the Force."

ooo

ooo


	3. Chapter 3: Visualization

Chapter 3:** Visualization**

_**Latest Galactic HOLONET NEWS!**_

_**Emperor Palpatine declares System Governors as Moffs!**_

_The Military Governors that worked in cooperation with their respective systems to coordinate planetary defenses against separatists during the Clone Wars were given the title as Moffs._

_Moffs were once the titles of the Systems rulers before the old Republic was established thousands of years ago. This new position and their new powers will guarantee better cooperation and efficiency within the various star systems.  
_

_**Increased Budget for the Military passed by the Senate!**_

_The Senate passed a budget proposal by Emperor Palpatine this afternoon. The budget will be used for the development of better ships, weapons and star fighters to maintain peace throughout our glorious Empire._

"_These outer rim worlds are a threat to the Galactic trade. Discipline must be strictly enforced." Emperor Palpatine said in a brief interview._

_Hutts, gangsters and smugglers control most of the outer rim territories. Crime and smuggling is rampant in these worlds and their citizens suffer as these criminals get richer. The billions of citizens cry out for justice, and the Galactic Empire will answer the call the traitorous Jedi have long ignored._

_**Reward Program for killed and captured Jedi Proposed!**_

_The traitorous Jedi Knights have been taken down by a simultaneous Galactic-wide effort by the Empire's forces._

_Some are reported to have survived and continues to this day to wreak havoc on poor unsuspecting citizens. _

_"It's an outrage" One citizen said, __though he refused to be named, afraid that the few Jedi remaining may target him. "These Jedi have continued to steal my wares and killed my bodyguards, finally they showed their true colors. They are nothing more than murdering, power hungry thieves."_

_As a response, the Empire has offered a reward program for information that would lead to the arrest of the Jedi._

_If you have any information regarding the Jedi, contact your nearest Imperial representative._

_**Immediate reward**__ is assured._

ooo

ooo

_Old Chancellor's office, Imperial Center (Formerly known as Coruscant) _

Mon Mothma struggled to maintain her calm as the new Emperor finally entered the chamber, and sat on the high back large chair where he used to sit as Chancellor. To the senator from Chandrila, it now looked like a throne.

Six of his Imperial Red Guards followed him inside, and stationed themselves directly behind him, still as statues, their staffs glinting in the afternoon light that streamed through the large transparisteel window. At the horizon above the skyscrapers, three Imperial cruisers stood like silent floating fortresses, ready to quell any protest on the streets.

It was an intimidating sight, and the other senators allied to her party, before the Emperor arrived were quite vocal in their opposition to his new decrees- suddenly remained silent.

All eyes were on the Emperor.

She had a hard time comparing the Palpatine she remembered, and grudgingly admired for his skills as a politician, to the dictator and absolute ruler who now sat before her. Gone was the smiling face, now half his features were hidden in the shadows made by the hood of his ornate black cloak he now wore.

Her mother told her stories when Palpatine was just appointed to the Senate, and many considered the new, maverick senator from Naboo to be quite handsome. Now though, his skin was pale white, wrinkled, as if they were the skin of a rotting corpse rather than a living man.

The press release was that he suffered his horrific injuries from the assassination attempt by the Jedi, and that he chose not to repair his disfigurement. His scars were a symbol, he stated earlier in a joint session, a testament to the hardships he endured in his confrontation with the Jedi assassins.

Again, she wished Bail Organa was here beside her, missing the comfort of a trusted friend and ally against such a grotesque sight.

"Senators." Palpatine started. "I would have expected a degree of respect coming from your esteemed selves to _me_."

Quickly, they stood and bowed their heads in greeting, though hers, and the Corellian representative, Garm Bel Iblis merely gave the Emperor a small nod. The tall, solidly built man barely inclined his head, and quickly sat down without Palpatine's leave. The Emperor gave no sign that he noticed the slight, and continued speaking.

"The reason I have summoned you here, is to deal with a matter that greatly concerns me and the Empire."

"Summoned, your majesty?" Mon Mothma asked. She thought that they were finally granted an audience, after weeks of ignoring their requests regarding the creation of the Moffs.

"Correct, Senator." She could see his lips twist into a small smile.

"_Summoned_." He repeated, emphasizing the word. "I will make it clear, senators. You, and the worlds and systems you represent, are valued members of _my_ Empire. Your voices will be heard in the Imperial senate, but they are just that... voices."

She noticed her fellow senators exchanging confused glances with one another, while she herself felt a growing dread inside her, knowing where the meeting would lead to.

Seated beside her, Mon saw Garm Bel Iblis's hand on his knee tighten into a fist, much like Bail's when he was frustrated. His face was that of cold anger, and she must have been wearing the same expression, because when their eyes met, the Corellian Senator gave her an understanding nod.

"Your intimate knowledge of your respective planet's affairs is valuable, no doubt. But in the end, it is up to me to listen. You are my advisers in the empire, but I have the final word, and you will all obey." Palpatine pressed leaned forward, revealing his more of his disfigured face. "I do not wish to discuss this matter again, and the consequences of failure to heed my first only warning will be dire, I assure you."

He dismissed their group casually, as if they were mere servants that cleaned his old office. They were all silent, some even shaking in fear at such a blatant threat, that it took their staff waiting outside in the hall to help them walk back to their own offices.

The short meeting had showed them the truth. They were now powerless, stripped of their powers of office and warned to obey and listen to his decrees.

"What are you planning to do about this?"

She noticed Garm had moved beside her, and she quietly replied. "This is not the place to discuss this, Senator."

"I'm not afraid." He replied. "But I understand you caution. It would be foolish to discuss sensitive matters here. We will talk some more."

"We certainly will." Mon whispered, and continued walking towards her office.

ooo

_Dagobah, Outer Rim, Sluis Sector_

"Harry."

"Harry, wake up."

A muffled groan was his reply, but she did not let it dissuade her. He agreed the night before to show her of his unarmed fighting style, and she was eager to see his techniques compared to her own. The twi'lek sat on his bed and shook him harder.

"Harry, wake up!"

"Bugger off!" The mop of messy black hair disappeared under the pillow, causing Aayla to frown.

"I know you're already awake." Aayla glanced at the window and noticed that it was getting brighter."It's nearing first light, and you won't be able to sleep again."

"Watch me." She heard his muffled reply through the pillow. She placed her hands on her hips, expecting Harry to slowly get up and accompany her. She thought he was just teasing her and testing her patience, but after a minute of waiting she heard his soft snores.

The twi'lek raised one eyebrow at his show of defiance, and raised her arm. Harry's sleeping form slowly levitated from the bed, his head still sandwiched in the pillow. The blanket that covered him slipped to the floor, revealing his bare chest.

At first it looked like Harry had not yet realized what was happening. As soon as the twi'lek and her unaware sparring partner left their tent, they were greeted by the cold morning air.

She struggled to maintain concentration when she heard his shouts of surprise and protests a few seconds later, and continued walking towards the grounds, ignoring his pleas.

"Aayla! At least let me get a shirt on!" Harry said, floating behind the twi'lek. "It's bloody freezing!"

"You won't need it anyway. We're going to spar, and you will only get your clothes dirty."

"But I don't have my lightsaber with me." Harry said, looking for a reason to get back to their tent. Even Yoda did not conduct their lessons runs this early.

"You won't need it for this spar." Aayla glanced back at her friend, failing to hide her amusement. Harry did look funny, with his messy hair stuck in all directions, and his green eyes staring at her with mock hurt.

"Fine." Harry admitted defeat and felt his body being lowered to the ground. He saw Aayla was already starting a few stretches, her bare feet sliding along the damp grass.

The wizard shook his head and slowly stood up, and rubbed his arms to ward off the cold. He's show her, he was taught by Kingsley Shacklebolt, and that man knew how to fight. He'd seen him take down a couple of Death Eaters when he lost his wand, and Harry had learned a few tricks from him.

He looked back at Aayla and eyed her slim waist, and bit his lip when she bent down in front of him, her hands easily touching the tip of her stretched legs. At least he knew he'd enjoy the spar, it had a great view after all.

Aayla really had a fine figure.

ooo

Barriss Offee slowly walked out of the tent, ready to start the day, when the sounds of muffled voices caught her attention. She moved past the Rapid Runner and saw a most unusual sight.

Harry Potter was face first on the ground, with Aayla's right knee on his lower back, keeping him from moving. Both of his hands were twisted behind him, held in place by Aayla's strong arms.

The Mirialan saw Harry's muscles tense and a moment later he struggled against Aayla's grip, but the twi'lek merely pushed both of Harry's arms higher, causing the wizard to yell.

"Fuck! I give! I give!"

Aayla promptly released Harry's arms, and he quickly lowered his hands back to their natural positions on his side. He remained motionless, with Aayla straddling over him, both of them breathing harder. To Barriss, it looked like they had been sparring for a while, judging from the sweat and dirt on their skin and clothes, and the way they took deep breathes of air.

"Bloody Hell! You nearly broke my arms!" The wizard rolled on his back and faced Aayla who now sat on his stomach, looking smug.

He massaged his right shoulder with his left hand, feeling a slight bruise on his back. The way Aayla threw him over her shoulder and into the ground knocked the living daylights out of him. He had seen stars that suddenly became beams of light, just like going through hyperspace. It was that hard, and that fast.

"You said that I should not hold back." Aayla replied. "...and that you could _handle_ it."

"Yeah well..."

"And you also mentioned that you know how to fight barehanded, and that you had extensive lessons in martial arts."

"How should I know that you're as good, if not better in unarmed combat than with sword fighting?" Harry asked. "I can't believe I lost so quickly, you overpowered me even though I clearly weigh more than you."

"It's not all about power and superior strength." Aayla lectured. "You did well in our first unarmed spar. You were quick on your feet and had good balance, but still hesitated at times. From now on, I will hold back to make our spars last longer."

"Now you're just bragging." Harry tried to push the smiling twi'lek off him. Aayla finally relented and stood up, and offered a hand to help him. "I thought Jedi were supposed to be humble."

"We're also brutally honest." Aayla countered, rolling her eyes at the wizard. Ever since Harry learned more about the Jedi from Yoda, he started using it to tease her whenever there was an opportunity.

"We could spar again before lunch, if you're feeling better."

"Aside from some sore muscles, I'm fine." Harry started to wipe the dirt from his arms and torso and glanced at the Twi'lek. "You have to teach me more of those moves of yours."

"I will." Aayla promised. "You have good reflexes, quick on your feet, and you adapt quickly. Teaching you, I believe, will be enjoyable."

"For you, perhaps." Harry grinned. "You enjoyed throwing me around like some doll. How did you become so good anyway? Are the others just as proficient as you are in unarmed combat? "

"We all have our strengths that we Jedi develop aside from mastery of the blade, and I trained extensively in unarmed combat." Aayla replied. "Before, I was usually sent on infiltration missions for intelligence gathering, and it was vital that I learned to defend myself without using a lightsaber."

"Since using one blows your cover." Harry nodded. "What about the others?"

"Barriss is gifted in the healing arts, and she has a vast knowledge in plants and their medicinal properties. She was recently promoted to a Jedi Knight, and she'll only get stronger with time as she develops her own strengths."

"And Shaak Ti?"

"Shaak Ti is very skilled in unorthodox combat, and is very cunning in using her surroundings or the situation against her opponents. She is also deeply attuned to the broader currents of the force, and that, I believe, is the reason she was able to sense your presence over such a great distance."

"As for Master Yoda..." Aayla's gaze turned to the Ancient Jedi's tent. "He pretty much knows everything that all of us will ever learn in the matters of the Force."

Barriss Offee watched the two friends enter their tent, and noticed Shaak Ti move beside her. The Mirialan figured that the Jedi Master had been observing the exercise longer than she was, and decided to ask.

"Master Ti, how long have they been sparring?"

"Since the crack of dawn." The Togrutan replied. "I've been observing them since they started."

"The spar seems one sided." Barriss observed.

"Not entirely." Shaak Ti replied. "I cannot help but be impressed with Harry's determination, even though he is clearly outclassed by Aayla. If it would have been any other Jedi knight he was fighting hand to hand, he would have performed better."

"And he certainly posses a... _colorful _vocabulary."

"Yes, he does." Shaak Ti smiled. "Even I haven't heard such innovative curses even from pirates and smugglers."

ooo

Barriss ducked and the streaks of red light passed safely over her head. Unfortunately, the boulder she used for cover was suddenly swallowed by the earth, and forcing her to run once again to avoid the endless spell fire from her opponent.

She thought he could take him, after watching him spar with Aayla a few times.

It was a testament to her Jedi sister's fighting prowess that she nearly defeated Harry, while she was barely able to force him on the defensive. She hurled rocks, dirt and fallen logs to Harry's position using the force, but most turned to leaves, while a few turned to strange creatures that turned to attack her.

She thought she had a grasp of the extent of his abilities, and had prepared a plan when she offered to spar him that afternoon. She knew she was faster than him, and tried to use it to her advantage.

She thought that at least, at the very least, she could force him to a standstill, like his spar with Aayla before.

She was wrong.

He didn't allow her to catch her breath, to even rest for a moment. He seemed to have learned from his earlier spars to not allow her to get close, placing obstacle after obstacle on her path. And he seemed to be always one step ahead of her, causing Barriss to wonder if Harry was somehow predicting her moves through the force... like a Jedi.

The Mirialan again tried to run behind Harry to attack him from behind, but again he was prepared for her flanking maneuver. She parried the streaks of red and purple light headed towards her from behind with her lightsaber, sending a couple of the spells back at him.

Barriss gave her opponent a glance to see what he would do to stop the redirected spells. Would a shield materialize to block them? Or would a tree root suddenly erupt from the earth to absorb them like he did earlier?

Her eyes widened when Harry caught the spells heading for him with his wand, and deflected them in front of her position, at a much quicker velocity. So he could deflect his own spells too...

She faltered in her run when her foot suddenly started to sink on the ground, trying to swallow her whole leg. The spells he redirected at her earlier had an effect on the earth, turning them into sludge. Her other foot started to sink too, and before she could use the hanging vine overhead as a purchase, she gasped as strong wave of air hit her, sending her flying through the air and into a tree.

The Jedi knight closed her eyes, waiting for the painful collision. She was already tired, and she didn't have the energy to counter his sudden attack.

To her shock, instead of feeling the hard, thick trunk of the tree meeting her back, she felt her body hit a very soft cushion. Barriss felt her body dig deeper into the cushion, before she was spat out and the Jedi landed on the ground on her back.

The Mirialan Jedi heard footsteps and looked up to see Harry Potter standing a dozen feet from where she was, with a smile on his face. She closed her eyes, finally relieved of the chance to catch her breath, when her eyes snapped as he heard him speak.

"Practice more, you need to... hmmm?" Harry mimicked Yoda's voice and speech pattern, causing her to fight a smile. She heard Aayla chuckle, and when she looked to the side, saw Master Ti sporting an amused look.

"Not a laughing matter, this is." Harry stared at Aayla with a stern expression on his face, causing the twi'lek to look away, trying very hard not to laugh. "Speak backwards, I seem to do. Great, great mystery of the force, this is."

"_Enjoying_ yourselves, hmmm?"

Four heads looked up immediately, and found the ancient Jedi Master sitting on a tree branch above them.

"Oh bollocks!" Harry said when he saw Master Yoda. The Jedi Master didn't look mad, but it was still embarrassing getting caught mimicking him.

"Master Yoda." Barriss quickly stood up. "We were just testing our skills. We do not mean any disrespect to you."

"No offense taken, young Barriss." Yoda smiled. "But listen to Harry Potter's words, you should. Practice, you need to, and help you, I will."

"Thank you, Master Yoda." The young Jedi knight bowed.

Yoda nodded back and then turned to Harry, who still looked embarrassed. "Voice impersonation, a talent you have, young Potter."

"Yeah... Thanks." Harry rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"Show you a set of exercises tomorrow, I will. Challenging, it will be."

Harry swore he saw an evil smile on the small Jedi Master's face. He sighed, realizing that Yoda did take offense, and would take it out on him in some ridiculous physical exercise. The ancient Jedi Master really had an odd sense of humor.

"You certainly deserved that." Aayla said, giving him an amused smile once Yoda left. "But it was terribly amusing."

"It is." Shaak agreed. "Are you alright Barriss?"

"I'm fine." The Mirialan replied and looked at Harry. "What was that? I was sure I would get a bruise at the very least, or worse when you sent me towards the tree."

"It's a variant of the cushioning charm." The wizard replied. "It's dead useful for those types of situations, and it's a fairly easy spell to cast too."

Barriss walked towards the tree and pressed her arm towards the trunk. The wood felt as though it was made of some elastic and soft substance, and she pressed harder, until most of her arm past her elbow had disappeared into the trunk.

"How long does it last?" Shaak Ti asked, after she and Aayla followed Barriss' lead and began inspecting the tree.

"An hour at most. But you should remove your hands from it, in case the charm suddenly wears off, and then you'll find your arms stuck deep inside the wood."

He laughed when all three Jedi quickly pulled their hands from the gelatinous like tree trunk.

ooo

ooo

_Imperial Center (Formerly known as Coruscant), Core Worlds Territory_

The Emperor of the newly established Galactic Empire sat inside his private office, his thoughts focused on the problems that he knew would develop after the establishment of his Empire. Already, more than a few Senators protested his declaration, and a handful of worlds had threatened to secede from his Empire. He personally took action to ensure their obedience and loyalty.

The Dark Lord of the Sith learned a lot from the Clone Wars, and gained essential information from both the Republic and the Confederacy. He was, after all, the architect of the entire of the conflict, and the meticulous planning and political maneuverings were all aimed at one goal – the complete annihilation of the Jedi Order.

He succeeded.

There was one key aspect that revealed itself in the course of the war. It was firepower, and the ability to project it that won the battles. To be more specific, it was the battleship and its versatility, from conducting blockades and invasions, to the transport of troops and material to the battle.

Emperor Palpatine activated the holo projector, and images of previous pivotal battles flashed on his desk. The Sith Lord leaned back, staring at holo footage of the Confederacy Flagship Malevolence and its casual ease at destroying dozens of Republic ships before it was finally destroyed by a Republic task force.

The Republic Navy's Acclamator class assault ships proved pivotal during the start of the war in Geonosis, having delivered clone troops and tanks at key points before heading back to orbit to engage the Separatist fleet. They clearly outgunned the Trade Federation battle ships, and suffered minor damage in the post battle assessment.

In the next few years, the separatists produced more powerful battleships, with superior armor and firepower, forcing the Republic to commission the Venator-class ships as the primary battleship, the only ship in the Republic Navy capable of standing toe to toe with the Separatist's best.

A battleship was not only superior in firepower compared to any weapons platform, the mere sight of a large battleship hovering over a world instantly caused and enemy to doubt themselves and their ability to win. A battleship provided a tangible presence of superior power and overwhelming might to any enemy, and it was that ability that Palpatine wanted to utilize to its fullest.

The Emperor glanced at the document delivered to him earlier and pressed a button. A holographic image of a man kneeling instantly appeared in his office, showing the proper respect given to him, as it should be.

"Thank you for allowing me an audience, your Majesty."

"We have much to discuss, Governor Tarkin."

ooo

Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila walked past the discreetly Royal Alderaan guards stationed outside a plain looking apartment complex in the commercial sector. Traffic swiftly moved past beside the buildings, causing Mon Mothma's blue cloak to flutter in the displaced air, revealing pristine white robes underneath.

It was a different change from 500 Republica in the Ambassadorial sector, where only the most powerful, wealthy and influential individuals used the tower as their official residence. Senator Bail Organa still owned an apartment of in the exclusive address, but he used the plain building for meetings that were sensitive in nature, like this one.

She wondered what caused Bail to call a meeting, and in person at that. He had just arrived a few standard hours ago from Alderaan, and he usually spent a few hours hosting a gathering of friendly senators in his apartment at the Republica, before meeting with her.

Mon Mothma walked confidently through the dimly lit corridors, and heard the dull beat of the speakers of a nightclub located next to the building. A door at the end of the hall opened, and she quickly walked in and made herself comfortable on the couch without asking for Bail's leave.

They had been friends for years, both starting their diplomatic careers roughly at the same time in the Senate Arena, and observing protocol when the two privately met was happily discarded. A glass of Chandrilan brandy was placed on the table beside her and she looked up to greet her old friend.

"What happened to you?" She asked, surprised by his appearance.

He usually looked impeccable in his robes of office, with his hair smoothly combed and his beard immaculately trimmed. This caused more than few female senators and diplomatic staff to take a second look, and then quickly remind themselves that rich and dashing Senator from Alderaan was happily married, and if rumors were true, a new father.

Bail Organa looked like he went drinking with the Wookies. His eyes were deep set, his hair was in disarray and his robes were wrinkled.

"I haven't slept for two days." Bail replied. He poured a glass of the expensive Brandy and sat down on the opposite side of the couch. "I was out in the middle rim, when I received a tip from one of my sources. I rushed back here and immediately contacted you."

"I won't ask what you're doing out there." Mon didn't need to. She had an idea what the Alderaan Senator was up to, and knew Bail would tell her eventually. "Why did you call me here?"

"Palpatine's after you." Bail's expression grew grim. "The senators that opposed his policies before he became Emperor are now under closer scrutiny, under the suspicion of treason. Several members of the delegation that signed the petition were already _invited_ by the Imperial Security Bureau for questioning. They are yet to be released, and where they are being held is closely guarded."

"He doesn't waste time, does he?" Mon Mothma crossed her arms, looking troubled.

"You are Palpatine's most outspoken critic ever since he became Chancellor. Some of his closest allies have revealed their plans to question you after the session of the Senate tomorrow. I suggest you go hiding Mon, and start planning on this rebellion of ours."

"And you?"

"I'll continue to support him openly, as Padme wisely whispered to my ear during Palpatine's declaration of the new order."Bail clenched his fists, revealing what he really thought of the death of the Republic. "The Senate is now mostly for show, we have no real power, Palpatine took care of that when he created his Moffs."

"I understand."

"There's a transport ship waiting for you at the spaceport that will take you to an asteroid station near Alderaan. My agents will smuggle you out, there's a speeder waiting on the roof."

Mon Mothma smiled. "You've already planned this out, huh?"

"Since yesterday." Bail Admitted. Mon Mothma was one of his closest friends and allies, sharing several ideals and views regarding Palpatine. He would make sure she was protected.

Mon finished her glass and stood up, followed closely by Bail. She leaned in and pecked his cheek and enveloped him in a tight hug. "Thank you."

"You don't need to. I'll see you in a few days."

She felt him slip an object on the pocket of her robes, and looked up at him in question.

"Activate that communicator once you reached Polis Massa." Bail looked at her intently. "You might find Master Yoda's advice useful."

Only the widening of her eyes betrayed what she was feeling inside. She nodded and squeezed Bail's hand, and headed out the door, to find one of the Alderaan agents waiting outside.

Inside the speeder Mon Mothma watched as they sped by the tall buildings of Coruscant, silhouetted by the setting sun. She wondered when she would be able to see such a view again, now that she was hunted by the Emperor.

The speeder merged into a traffic lane headed to the space port, and from the distance she could see the Palace of the Republic was already under renovation, parts of its once beautiful white and gold exterior now modified to suit its new inhabitant.

Her expression grew grim to see such a marvel of architecture and technology being butchered by the Emperor's engineers. She heard rumors that it was being renamed the Imperial Palace, and that its height would exceed past the tallest buildings of Coruscant by kilometers.

Already, the monstrous, unfinished building was casting its shadow over the ambassador district, and every day as more levels were added to the structure, the shadow grew longer. To Mon Mothma, it was a disturbing symbol of this new Empire's growing power over hundreds of worlds.

She was determined to stop it at all costs and restore democracy to the galaxy.

ooo

_Dagobah, Sluis Sector_

"Focus! The blade is a part of your body, an extension of your will, of your power."

Harry nodded and remained still, holding his shoto lightsaber upright in his right hand. Its constant hum made him aware that any mistakes could cause him a severed limb, or worse, end up making the Gryffindor Ghost, nearly headless Nick jealous with his completely severed head.

"Do not fear the blade. Use your power, feel it, and remember the moves I showed you. Ready?"

"Ready."

Three small rocks were banished towards him, and the wizard angled the green blade in front of him, blocking the first rock. He twisted it to the opposite direction, blocking the second rock, but felt the third hit his head.

Harry quickly turned his lightsaber off and rubbed the part of his scalp where he got hit. "Face it Aayla, I'm not cut out for this."

"At least you can wield a lightsaber without hurting yourself with the blade." The twi'lek walked closer to Harry and inspected the side of Harry's head, checking for any wound or bruise. Satisfied, she handed him her canteen.

"It's still awkward to use." Harry admitted after he swallowed a mouthful of water. "I don't think it will work for me, other than a last resort."

"Harry, the fact that you feel even a tiny connection with the lightsaber means you're one of the few in the galaxy that can wield it safely." Aayla explained. "It will be a shame for you not to be at least familiar with a Jedi's weapon."

"Fine, I get it... more practice." He really couldn't resist those eyes and that pout of hers, and he wondered if she was doing it consciously. Besides, all of Aayla's ideas proved helpful, he was already feeling a lot better than he ever did since... ever. Trying to keep up with the Jedi and their daily practices, along with their diet was beginning to bear fruit. He felt refreshed, and lasted longer with the spars against the other Jedi as the weeks passed.

"That's the only way to learn." Aayla replied. "Are you ready for another round?"

They were interrupted when R-8, the astromech droid, suddenly came out of the communications tent, various high pitch beeps coming out of it.

"It looks like someone's trying to contact us." Aayla saw Shaak Ti enter the tent, followed by Barriss and Yoda. The twi'lek quickly followed after them, with Harry right behind her.

"It's a coded transmission from Polis Massa, Alderaan system." Shaak Ti monitored the signal in the console and nodded. "It's genuine, I'll patch it through."

A life sized hologram appeared across the circular console, revealing a woman that looked to be in her twenties or early thirties, with short hair and long robes. Immediately she gave them a respectful nod and spoke out. "Greetings, Jedi masters."

"Greetings, Senator Mon Mothma." Yoda replied from the chair he sat. "Happy to see you, we are."

"As am I, Master Yoda." The senator said as she looked around. "I'm even happier to see more of the Jedi."

"Senator." Shaak Ti stepped forward. "What happened in Coruscant?"

"I'm being hunted, and the same goes for the senators aligned in my faction." The senator from Chandrila looked determined. "I would have been arrested in the next session of congress if it were not for Senator Organa. I am planning to form an alliance against the Empire, Master Yoda, and I need your help."

Harry noticed the Jedi exchange glances, and after a short pause, all nodded in agreement.

"Given, it is. Support your cause, the Jedi will." Yoda leaned forward.

Mon Mothma looked relieved and smiled. "Thank you Master Yoda. I am sending a transmission of all the Intelligence I have gathered through my contacts. There are several worlds who are already rebelling against the empire, mere weeks after its declaration. Alone, one world won't stand against the might of the Imperial Army, but together... we can restore the Republic and democracy."

"Propose an alliance, you do." Yoda replied. He reviewed the contents of the data packet received in a console and brought up a holographic file.

Beside Mon Mothma's hologram, a star map of the galaxy appeared. Red arrows pointed at worlds that the Chandrilan believed would join their proposed alliance, while blue arrows showed those firmly loyal to Palpatine.

"Gather the support of the leaders, we must." The ancient Jedi master said. "A priority, it is."

"I agree, Master Yoda." Mon Mothma nodded. "The Jedi are a symbol against oppression, of hope, and justice. Not all have forgotten the selfless deeds your order has done in service of the Republic. With your support, I believe the senator I'm planning to offer an alliance with will be more swayed to our cause."

"From what world is this Senator is?" Shaak Ti asked. "Times are dangerous, Senator. We are not as numerous as before, and we lack the resources to openly engage the Empire. It is only because of Senator Organa's generosity and courage that we are here, speaking with you."

"From Corellia, Master Ti."

"Senator Garm Bel Iblis is one of Palpatine's most outspoken critics, ever since the clone wars began." Shaak Ti turned to Yoda. "What do you think?"

"Speak with him we will. A valuable ally, he will be." Yoda turned back to Mon Mothma. "Preparations are under way for a meeting, Senator?"

"I have already made plans, Master Yoda. It would be better if one of your own will be in the Corellia System where I am planning to meet with him, where several world leaders are secretly planning to attend. I will, of course, not inform them of your presence in advance, if you are willing to agree to come to prevent any chance of betrayal."

"You were always thorough even in diplomatic matters, Senator." Shaak Ti remarked. "I approve."

"Concur, I do." Yoda added. "Finalize the details of your meetings, Senator, and send a representative, we will."

"Thank you Jedi Masters. I hope the meeting will prove fruitful." Mon Mothma bowed and her holographic image flickered out.

"Meditate on this matter, I must." Yoda got down from his chair. "Great care for these early steps, we must take."

"Who will we send as representative to the planned meeting?" Barriss asked.

"Myself and Master Yoda are too recognizable." Shaak Ti shared a look with the ancient Jedi Master, and they both nodded after a brief moment. The Togrutan turned to the twi'lek Jedi knight and the human that stood closely beside her.

"Aayla, you're trained in infiltration and intelligence gathering, and Twi'leks are fairly common throughout the region that you wouldn't stand out in the Corellia system." Shaak Ti continued. "And for Harry, I believe your powers will be more than enough to support Aayla, if you are willing to go with her."

"Of course I am." The wizard replied instantly. "Aayla doesn't need to ask, I'll be there for her."

Said twi'lek gave Harry an amused but grateful look and placed her hand over his.

"Decided it is then." Yoda leaned on his gimmer stick. "Prepare for your mission, you should."

"It shouldn't be for another few days, but I suggest you and Barriss use the time and help Harry familiarize with Corellia."

"Yes Master." Barriss replied.

"Let's go Harry." Aayla tugged on the wizard's arm. "I have little time to teach you."

ooo

Night had fallen in the swamp world of Dagobah, and Aayla had just finished giving her heavily modified Eta-2 Actis Light Interceptor a maintenance check with R8-D8's help. It barely resembled its former appearance, with its extended cockpit to allow seating for two.

The socket for its astromech droid had been removed, and the six accelerator pods in the hyperspace transport ring were permanently attached to each side of the Starfighter. Again, Harry was amazed at the technical knowledge and ability of his companions, as well as their engineering skills as he watched Shaak Ti and Barriss help Aayla on the starfighter's modifications.

The Actis Starfighter wouldn't be as maneuverable because of its added mass, but it was significantly faster with a longer operational range. The modifications had caused it to have a different engine signature, making it harder for Imperial ships to identify it.

"Are you nervous?" Harry asked. They would be leaving tomorrow for Corellia, after Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma sent the coordinates for the meeting place. They had all agreed to arrive a day earlier than the scheduled meeting, as a precaution in case the Imperial Navy was nearby.

He was sitting on top of a large tree branch that he and Aayla came to use in the past week as a resting spot. From their vantage point, they had a good view of the small clearing where their camp was set up, and the slow moving river that drained down to the marshland.

"Are you?" Aayla asked, sitting closely beside him.

"A little." Harry admitted. "Though I'm more excited than nervous, to be honest. Barriss said that the Corellia system's one of the most technologically advanced sectors in the galaxy, aside from Coruscant."

"The only places you've been in are Felucia, an asteroid colony and now a swamp world." Aayla looked thoughtful. "You're right...you haven't seen any of the populated worlds yet. Corellia is definitely a sight to see."

"How long do you think this mission will last?"

"I really can't say. It may last for a few days, to even weeks." Aayla replied. "It depends on our allies, and it is up to us to make sure this alliance happens. Without it, we won't have the resources to do much good against the Empire."

"At least I'm there with you to make sure you won't get hurt."

"Harry, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

"I know, but I can't help but be wary of those close to me." Harry replied. The wizard placed an arm around Aayla's shoulder and the twi'lek leaned her head on his chest. "I've seen too many deaths in my life, and I'd rather die than see you get killed."

Aayla smiled in content, feeling safe and warm as Harry's arms wrapped protectively over her. Since the time they met, and the week they spent on Dagobah, she had been aware of her growing attraction for the wizard. Soft touches, special smiles the wizard only gave to her made her incredibly happy.

She knew that he was attracted to her too, and though they never spoke out loud about it, the physical gestures they both demonstrated to each other showed to the both of them, and their Jedi companions what they never expressed vocally.

The Jedi had to change, and with it restrictions that even Yoda himself admitted was now obsolete.

She was finally allowed to love.

Aayla was always headstrong and determined, as her old master used to say when she was a padawan. She was now ready to confront Harry with the feelings growing between them, and finally decided to act. The twi'lek twisted in Harry's arms and faced him, sitting on his thighs as her legs wrapped around his back.

"Aayla?" He asked, his hands sliding down to the sides of her bare waist.

"Before we leave, I want to make things clear between us, and the growing attraction we feel for each other." The rutian twi'lek raised cupped Harry's face with both hands and smiled softly. "You are very special to me Harry, and the time we have spent to each other only made me grow closer of you."

Harry tried to speak but Aayla's thumb stroked caressed his lip, telling him she was not done speaking.

"And as I learned more about you, the more I believe it was the will of the force that our fates have met." The twi'lek locked her fingers around his neck, and leaned back, waiting for his response. Harry did not reply in words, but by pulling her to him, his lips meeting hers in a passionate kiss, his hands holding her tighter.

Aayla moaned, and their kiss became frenzied as their tongues tasted each other's mouths. Her hands slipped under his shirt, touching his bare chest and back, while his own hands squeezed her buttocks, causing her to moan deeply in his mouth.

It would be several minutes before they broke apart, breathing heavily, as their foreheads resting on each other, his green eyes locked on her own.

"It was even better than I thought." Harry traced the rutian twi'lek's lips, and unable to resist, gave them a quick kiss.

"You have thought about kissing me?"

"Ever since I saw you..." Harry mumbled. His hands moved upwards from their comfortable spot on Aayla's buttocks, tracing the curve of her slim waist until they reached the sides of her breasts. "...and more."

"As do I." Aayla closed her eyes in pleasure, clearly enjoying Harry's hands on her. She allowed Harry to explore her body, as her own desire for the wizard grew stronger.

They didn't make love that first night they openly admitted their feelings to each other. Each was just content in the soft touches and the passionate kisses, both knowing that there would be the promise of more in the future.

Harry and Aayla did sleep together on her bed, and for the twi'lek, it was an incredibly comforting experience, sleeping beside Harry's warm body, his strong arms wrapped protectively around her. She sighed in pleasure and moved her head closer to Harry's chest, as her eyes slowly closed and drifted off to sleep.

ooo

"_May the force be with you."_

It was the first time that Barriss Offee heard those words in a month, the last coming from Aayla Secura before they separated in Felucia to take their respective targets. It was Master Yoda's farewell to the twi'lek and the wizard, before the transparisteel canopy slid shut and the heavily modified starfighter departed, on its way to the Corellia system.

The ship quickly disappeared from their sight as the mists once again returned, after being displaced by the exhaust of the starfighter's thrusters. In spite of the hours lecturing Harry of the possible dangers they could encounter in Corellia with Aayla, Barriss wondered if it would be enough.

She had seen reports from Senator Organa of the numerous bounty hunters on the prowl hunting for Jedi and she didn't want her Jedi sister and Harry to get killed or captured.

"I sense doubt in you, young Barriss." Yoda said. "Worried for them, you are."

"A bit, Master." Barriss admitted.

"Trust in the force." Yoda replied. "Reliable, Aayla always is. Believe in her judgment, I do."

"And she has Harry with her." Shaak Ti added. "He is young, but he is quite capable, and will be more than a match to any bounty hunter. He will just need to listen to Aayla, and we know how well they work together."

"Yes, work well, they do. A true partner, she has finally found." Yoda agreed. He turned to the two Jedi standing across from him. "And another matter, I wish to discuss."

"Yes Master Yoda?" Barriss prompted.

"A separate mission, I have for the two of you." Yoda continued.

"That explains why only Aayla and Harry were sent to Corellia." Shaak Ti said. "What do you have in mind, Master Yoda?"

"Travel to Kashhyk, you need to." Yoda replied. "Disturbance in the force, I sense."

ooo

_On route to Corellia System_

"You've been pretty quiet." Aayla observed, as she glanced at Harry who was seated behind her.

"I'm just enjoying the journey, that's all." Harry replied. "This view's certainly more interesting."

The transparisteel bubble canopy gave Harry an excellent sight, and being seated slightly higher than Aayla, it felt like he was flying through space, in speeds faster than light.

"And your company more than makes up for the cramped space." Harry added.

Aayla smiled when she felt his hands wrap around her while he gently kissed her neck. She closed her eyes briefly and turned her face, causing Harry's lips to make contact with hers. He had been more demonstrative in his show of affection since their talk the night before, and she responded in turn.

She heard him breathe deeply and press her face on her neck, causing her skin to tingle with every breath he exhaled. "What are you doing?"

"It's just that... well, you smell nice."

"Me?" Aayla laughed. "Harry, the environmental controls are already struggling to calibrate its sensors for two occupants. It's either too warm, or too cold, and right now, we're both sweating."

"You still smell good." Harry replied, continuing to muzzle his face on her neck. "It's your own scent that I've noticed before in Felucia, and it's more pronounced now. I like it."

Aayla shuddered when she felt Harry's tongue slide over her sweaty skin. If he continued doing this to her body, he would not be able to blame her if they veered off course. She adjusted in her seat as she felt herself moisten between her legs and struggled to focus her concentration on flying the Starfighter. Thankfully, she had little to do at the moment, until they drop out of hyperspace and merge with the general traffic.

"You taste good too." He whispered. His tongue slid over her conical ears while his hands slid under her vest, cupping her breasts. The force help Harry when she finally landed the Starfighter in Corellia. It wasn't fair, she couldn't respond back to his ministrations, and he was going to pay for the teasing he was doing to her.

ooo

_Coronet City, Corellia System, Core Worlds territory_

Corellia, the largest of the five planets of the Corellia system, was one of the few worlds in the galaxy where humans were the primary species. It was also one of five planets that were made artificially by an ancient and powerful race of alien species known as the Builders, even its orbit was planned around the Corell sun.

To Harry Potter, the planet reminded him of Earth that his thoughts drifted back to the family and friends he left behind. Aside from the unfamiliar shapes of the geographical features, it almost looked like Earth's twin, with its vast blue oceans, the clouds and the ice caps at its poles.

He rarely thought of his home planet, with the events that led him here, meeting the Jedi, his first ever space voyage and Yoda's insanely demanding physical exercises. The wizard wondered how they were doing now, no doubt young Teddy would be looking for him, he rather enjoyed the weekends watching his godson when the tike's mother was busy in the Ministry.

Being promoted to a Senior Auror meant that Nymphadora's time at home was severely diminished, but Harry and Teddy's grandmother, Andromeda, made sure they were there to keep Remus' son company. Some questioned Harry's often empty desk since he spent most of his time at the Tonks residence, but being the vanquisher of Voldemort had its perks, and Kingsley turned a blind eye on the matter.

Harry was proud to say that Teddy Lupin's life was the complete opposite of his own childhood, and that was a good thing.

He knew they were all be safe even after he left them, and that thought gave him comfort and peace of mind. The Dark Lord Voldemort was gone, and his death eaters in prison or dead.

The ministry was mostly competent, and major reforms were initiated to prevent the pureblood supremacists from discriminating the common witch and wizard. It was corruption that allowed Voldemort's faction to thrive, and he had spent most of his short career in the Auror corps stamping it out, conducting raids on corrupt politicians and those that held position in the Ministry.

Still, Harry wondered why fate seemed to have screwed his life again. He had done his part after all, and fulfilled the prophecy and enjoying living in the wizarding world that he helped rebuild.

But then, it was also thanks to Fate that allowed him to meet Aayla Secura.

It was not love at first sight when they first met, but there was no denying the growing attraction between as the days passed by on Felucia. They struck a quick friendship immediately, allowing both wizard and twi'lek to be more comfortable with each other. It was friendly touches at first, a pat to the back, maybe a quick hug or two, and even a peck on the cheek.

And then it turned to flirting, as they reached an understanding that both knew they liked each other without openly acknowledging it. The hugs became longer and more intimate, the pats to the back became gentle caresses on the cheek. Her quick pecks as gratitude for some help he had given moved closer and closer to his mouth and her lips stayed longer on the skin of his cheek.

The sexual tension between them had built up into a powerful pressure, and it finally erupted once they found themselves alone once they arrived at Corellia. The twi'lek finally had her chance after hours of enduring Harry's touch once they secured lodgings for themselves.

Their first time was awkward, but passion and eagerness more than made up for it. Aayla had bitten Harry between his shoulder and neck, hard enough to actually draw blood in her first climax. The twi'lek found it oddly satisfying and to see Harry with her mark afterwards, like it was a symbol that proclaimed the wizard as hers.

She barely owned anything aside from her lightsabers and a few trinkets, but the emotions she felt regarding Harry were so intense, especially now that they had confessed and acted upon their feelings that it frightened her. The mere thought of Harry intimate with another female caused a painful sensation in her chest, and the twi'lek reflexively tightened her hold on Harry as they both rested inside their room.

Aayla listened to his light snores, Harry rarely made noise in his sleep unless he was exhausted, and she wore him out with a few more rounds after their initial love making. It only cemented their commitment towards each other, and now she found herself incredibly possessive of him.

If there was one thing she would like to claim as her own, it was this man.

Harry Potter.

He was hers now, but she was his too.

ooo

Harry frowned and put an arm around Aayla, when he noticed more than a few lecherous looks given to his lover. Aayla did not seem bothered by the attention, as she sat beside Harry on the maglev train, on their way to the meet Mon Mothma in Bela Vista, a modest sized city for tourists with limited budgets.

Compared to the other popular destinations like Kor Vella and Doaba Guerfel, Bela Vista mostly catered to the middle class income tourists, making it the perfect location to those who were hiding from Imperial agents.

A group of males across where they sat suddenly laughed, while pointedly making rude comments in Aayla's direction, but the twi'lek didn't appear to be bothered.

"Don't mind them Harry." Aayla whispered, having sensed her lover's emotions. She had worn a simple shift, conservative by twi'lek standards, but the slits on either side showed a lot of the twi'lek's long legs. The men across from the two clearly enjoyed the view, and their laughs continued throughout the trip.

"Aren't you the least bit bothered?" He said softly to her ear.

"I'm used to it." The rutian twi'lek replied. "You've seen a few other twi'leks in Coronet, and I've already explained my race's culture. It is how they were brought up, and I would have experienced the same fate, if it were not for the Jedi that found me."

"Thank the force then." Harry replied.

"That's a first from you."

Aayla had explained to him in great length, about her home world of Ryloth, and the twi'lek's culture of slavery. Clans sold their females to eager customers, to cater to their every whim and desire. Taught at a young age to dance, older female twi'leks were instructed to serve their eventual masters in any form of pleasure.

Twi'lek females were highly prized throughout the galaxy, and owning one displayed power, wealth and influence to the rest of society. Some take it to the extreme, building harems of twi'leks just to show off that they could afford it, like the hutts.

It was one thing to hear Aayla's stories, this, but to see the female twi'leks, most of them in every shade of green, dancing alongside other female species in the bars they ate in, or sitting beside their owner wearing practically, nothing shocked Harry.

Aayla touched her elaborate silver belly button jewel that Harry crafted for her in an impressive show of his magic and artistry. He had made the jewelry last night, after a man tried to claim Aayla as his property, seeing that she wasn't wearing anything that signified her ownership to Harry.

Harry had easily defeated the man without using his magic, his unarmed combat skills, augmented with Aayla's training, made short work of the brawler, and didn't allow him a chance to draw his blaster.

She fondly remembered the night before, as Harry continuously labored to finish what she now wore on her belly button. The silver was mixed with his blood and hers, and once finished, Harry had explained to her that its function. It was a permanent portkey, one that would allow her to travel to his side when she spoke the special word, and it would always allow Harry to apparate to her location, the jewel acting like a beacon. When he attached it to her, it was a very sensual experience, as if he was now claiming her as his own, with the avian designed jewel as his symbol.

The maglev train soon passed the tunnel they were traveling through for an hour, revealing a drastic change in scenery. Light bathed the cabin, revealing mountain peaks covered in snow.

"Wow." Harry breathed out, thoughts of blasting the men across from him vanishing once he saw the view outside.

"It's a beautiful view." Aayla agreed. She sensed Harry's emotions and rested her head on his shoulder. "This reminds you of your home?"

"It does." Harry nodded. "We used to go skiing... well, Tonks taught me how. Little Teddy was learning quickly."

"But I'm sure he'll be better than me." The wizard continued. He made his decision to stay, even if there was an opportunity to get back to his own world. The woman beside him was the reason for that, and when he felt her lips on his cheek, he knew he made the right choice.

ooo

ooo


	4. Chapter 4: Commitment

Chapter 4: **Commitment**

Some say, as the last of the fires died down in the ruins of the Jedi Temple, that it symbolized the end of a magnificent era. Of a time when the Jedi Knights, guardians of freedom, stood alongside the Republic and helped her rise to prosperity to ensure peace and order throughout the galaxy.

For a thousand years, the Jedi Order produced exceptional men and women, known for their warrior skill and unparalleled understanding of the mysteries of the Force. It was a period of stability, of discovery, of innovation and growth.

It was the time of wise Yoda, of the ever grim Mace Windu. Of the maverick Qui-Gon Jinn, the blade master Agen Kolar and the calm Yarael Poof.

It was the time of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

It was the age of heroes, and it had come to an end in a swift stroke.

Yet Yoda knew a new age had already begun, its seed planted in the forests of Felucia, and cultivated in the swamp world of Dagobah where he currently resides.

The ancient Jedi Master considered himself fortunate, to be able to witness the start of a new order. Its foundations were certainly promising, and he knew a few more of his valiant Jedi had survived the purge. Many had died, but the surviving remnants of the Order gave Yoda hope.

Barriss Offee learned much from her old Jedi Master, and was widely acknowledged as one of the Order's best healers using the force. Yet, she did not inherit the faults Luminara had, and she seems to have grown wiser since he last sent her to Felucia.

Shaak Ti, the second youngest Master next to Kenobi, was a truly powerful Jedi in her own right. Her radical views in the high council often conflicted with the more traditionally inclined masters such as himself, Mace Windu and Luminara Unduli, yet she remained steadfast on her beliefs. She was also a cunning and devious Jedi, traits that would serve her well in the great conflict he foresaw.

Yoda easily jumped down the branch and headed to his tent, a few of the local fruit he had come to prefer gathered in his hands, rather than the rations Senator Organa supplied them. He would later turn them into a soup once they ripened and headed inside his tent, thoughts of the last two members of their new order, and the most crucial.

Aayla Secura was the epitome of a Jedi guardian, fearless... and even reckless at times. Powerful, she also had exceptional skill with the lightsaber and strategy, resulting in her being assigned the position of senior general during the clone wars despite her young age. The young rutian twi'lek had endured much in her life, and was able to overcome the dark side that had seduced her when she was a padawan.

Even then, suffering from amnesia caused by the highly addictive drug called Glitteryl, Aayla had fought against the dark side's temptation, showing the true strength of her character and admirable will.

Yoda knew the conflict within her that continued to plague her when she became a knight. She formed close friendships with those around her, to the point that the council was considering summoning her to explain the rumors about her.

In the end Yoda realized that the rutian twi'lek was more attuned to the physical reality around her than they were, and was genuinely happy for her when she formed a relationship with Harry Potter.

Yoda looked up to gaze at the sky, and with a casual gesture of his hand, cleared the fog that obstructed the view in seconds. He always liked to watch the stars when he was deep in thought, and the view of the heavenly bodies -the purest and simplest display of the living force soothed him. It always helped him to see through others' perspectives and gain new insights.

The young man that caused such an impact in the recent events continued to puzzle the ancient Jedi Master, even after months of spending time with him. Harry Potter was powerful, very much so, using his magic in ways that completely left Yoda in wonder and awe. He could feel the strength within him, but he used it in a completely different way to how the Jedi use the force.

Harry once observed Barriss using the force to heal his sprained ankle, and commented that what she used was a more raw state of energy. That left Yoda wondering if it was the Jedi that were the predecessors of the wizards, or if it was the other way around. There had to be a connection, he was sure of it.

There was one thing Yoda was certain, that the Force and Harry's magic were practically the same, but used in completely different methods that it seemed that each was using a different form of energy. Nevertheless, he couldn't argue with the results, and Harry was proving to be as reliable, and capable as any Jedi.

The power Harry had in his command often reminded Yoda of another, one who had the potential to be the best and most powerful Jedi that he had ever seen. Both were chosen by fate, but each used their power differently. One sought even more power to escape death, while the other freely gave his and life to save others.

He was certain that Harry Potter would play a greater role in the galaxy... and with Aayla with him, he could only wonder at the possibilities. Not even with his vaunted force sight into the future could he predict what Harry Potter would become, but he knew the wizard would always lend his strength and power to Aayla's cause.

The Jedi had suffered a devastating blow, a powerful punch that had left them on their knees, reeling from the shock of defeat and treason. But a flame of hope remained, and it was steadily growing stronger. The frown in Yoda's face eased and the ancient Jedi closed his eyes and relaxed, as the creeping fog again blocked his vision of the night sky.

Though the age of heroes was over, the age of wonder had only begun.

ooo

_Bela Vista City, Corellia, Core Worlds Territory_

Harry and Aayla slowly walked through the street packed full of tourists of mostly humans, though there were the occasional twi'leks, Rodians and some strange white furred creature that towered ten feet tall. Peddlers shouted at the wizard, offering him the souvenirs they had on display for bargain prices.

"A beautiful trinket for your lovely twi'lek?" A man that looked to be in his forties asked Harry and Aayla as they were about was about to pass him.

Harry was still getting used to being addressed respectfully by the locals, and his lover had patiently explained that with her, a twi'lek accompanying him, they would assume that he was at least wealthy and influential.

They had just finished scouting the city and found that there wasn't a very visible presence of the Empire in the area. As Aayla predicted, there was strong anti-Imperial sentiment, and in the many bars and taverns they visited, they often heard anger against the newly established Galactic Empire. She was sure though, that Imperial agents and informants were around, hiding, ready to report to the Emperor if there was even a hint of rebellion.

Harry peered closer and picked a necklace made of a brown alloy. The design wasn't very appealing, but he was more interested in the material itself.

"What is it made of?" Harry asked.

"Bronzium." The merchant replied quickly. "I won it from a spice trader, it's said to come from Alderaan."

"Alderaan?"

"Oh yes. It's where the best jewelries are made." The merchant smiled, showing uneven yellow teeth. "I'll sell it for thirty credits."

Harry's eyes moved to Aayla, and noticed the slight shake of her head. "For bronzium? I'll take it for fifteen."

"I have a family to feed!" The merchant protested, realizing this wasn't just another gullible tourist. "At least twenty credits, please. Imperial bastards are making it hard enough with their taxes for the honest man."

Harry smiled at the word _honest_ and agreed, despite knowing he could have forced the price down further. He fished out a small dull gray colored chip from the pocket of his robes and handed it to the man. "Twenty credits."

The merchant's cheerful grin returned, and once he verified the chip's authenticity, handed Harry the trinket.

"I haven't seen any sign of the Imperial Navy anywhere. How's it making it hard for you?" Harry asked curiously as he stowed the necklace inside his pocket.

"It's making the suppliers and traders nervous." The man looked around and leaned across the table full of his wares to speak closer to Harry, the tone of his voice significantly lower. "There's talk of a blockade they're planning. This is just rumor of course, but it's causing a lot of suppliers to move their operations farther out of the rim."

"I'm sure those are just rumors." Harry replied. "They wouldn't dare..."

"Damn right!" The man agreed fiercely. "Corellian Navy's not going to put up with it. Let them try and I'd be the first one to sign up for the army, and damn the age restrictions."

"Good for you then." Harry smiled.

"Have a good day!" The man shouted as they walked away.

Both Twi'lek and wizard turned into a less crowded street and kept walking farther to the edge of the main market district. Once they reached a secluded spot in a narrow alley, Aayla pressed herself against her lover and felt his hands circle her waist. The two vanished instantly, the popping sound that disapparition made drowned out by the noise of the busy market.

ooo

"Do you think the rumor of a blockade is true?" Harry asked as he sat on the long couch of the lodgings that Senator Mon Mothma offered to them to use. "That's the third merchant we heard speaking about it."

"I cannot say." Aayla shook her head and joined Harry on the couch, resting her head on his chest. She closed her eyes when she felt his hands gently stroking her lekku. It had been a tiring day, with her senses on full alert to spot any spies while she let Harry fish for information from the merchants. "It might be rumors fueled by nervous citizens, but we cannot just ignore this piece of information, no matter how vague its sources are."

"I've noticed that the people are extremely confident, even proud of the Corellian Navy." Harry mused. "Are they truly that powerful?"

"The Corellians are known for having powerful warships, daredevil pilots... and their fiercely independent and proud nature." Aayla smiled. "At the start of the Clone Wars, the Senate tried to convince the whole Corellia system to support the republic. They knew the Corellian Navy would be a powerful ally against the separatist fleets. When the Corellian Senator Garm Bel Iblis announced to the Senate that they would not contribute to the war effort directly, it caused quite a stir in the galaxy, with many representatives labeling the Corellia government as traitors."

"That must have caused a few riots." Harry commented. "I can imagine the feeling, when one of your strongest allies suddenly refused to fight alongside in a war."

"The Jedi council was even forced to mediate." Aayla nodded. "But in the end, Senator Bel Iblis had made the correct decision, and the Corellian System is still free from Imperial rule."

"When do you think these delegates will get here?"

"Patience, Harry." Aayla smiled and gently kissed him on the cheek.

She had already determined that the location for the secret conference was secure, and there were no hidden traps and Imperial agents waiting to arrest the senators and world leaders. Whoever decided the location knew Bella Vista well, the city was big enough that tourists wouldn't be given a second look, but small enough to easily spot hidden Imperial forces or bounty hunters.

Their lodgings too, were in a resort that was on the edge of the tourist city. The whole compound was suddenly reserved, and when they arrived, Aayla learned from the staff that they were the only guests, despite arriving at the peak of the tourist season.

The resort staff wasn't complaining, the unoccupied rooms were still being paid for, and there was less work for them to do- aside from delivering meals to the room of what looked like a couple enjoying their vacation. The staff was also used to the whole resort being rented by the rich citizens of Corellia (and even from the other sister planets), with Senator Bel Iblis and his family frequenting the fairly low key mountain resort.

The staff only noted that the human male had strange green eyes, (whether where head them colored was still being discussed) and the twi'lek had a rare shade of blue skin and was one of the loveliest specimens they had ever seen.

"Is there anything else we need to do tomorrow?" Harry asked. He scooted farther to the side of the couch and allowed Aayla to rest her head on his lap, a reversal of their usual positions. The wizard let the twi'lek's lekku dangle down from the side of the couch and returned to stroke them with his left hand, while his right hand absently made circles around her navel.

"We've already determined that the venue is safe." Aayla replied. Her eyes were still closed, and extremely content with Harry's hands. He always knew how to make her feel relaxed and comfortable, even then when they first met. He had instinctively caressed her lekku, when he was comforting her on the small cave in Felucia.

"We just need to wait for Senator Mothma tomorrow evening... since she will be the first to arrive." Aayla yawned and slowly drifted to sleep.

Harry smiled and continued stroking Aayla's brain tails, watching the twi'lek slowly drift to sleep. He greatly treasured moments like these, when Aayla showed her vulnerable side to him, and only to him. No other soul had seen her behave like this, and that made Harry love her even more. Who knew that Aayla Secura, the renowned Jedi Knight was ticklish? That she was very playful and her melodious laugh was so infectious? That she had a very strong appetite that rivaled his best friend Ronald Weasley, and preferred if her food was as fresh as possible?

Feeling sleepy himself after the long day of walking the streets of the city, Harry casually waved his wand and cast a charm that would wake them an hour later. It wouldn't do to miss dinner after all.

ooo

Aayla frowned and turned on the bed as light began to stream from the window. Her frown deepened when her arm did not come into contact with the warm body she was now used to sleeping with. Usually it was her that always woke up before her lover, and she spent the quiet mornings cuddling with Harry and relishing the experience before she decided to wake him.

"Harry?" She asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Something didn't feel right, and she sat up on the bed. A cold breeze caused her to draw the blanket closer to her bare chest and noticed that the large window was open. The twi'lek quickly rose from the bed and closed it, but not before her sharp eyes caught a familiar shape soaring against the morning light.

"Oh no." Aayla whispered. She heard the familiar black falcon's screech echo across the valley floor.

The Jedi knight immediately ran across the room and began to dress, hoping she would reach her beloved but sometimes impulsive and stubborn lover in time. She spotted their lightsabers among Harry's pile of clothes and immediately snatched the shoto, deciding that it was the easiest to conceal in the shift she wore and jumped out of the window.

The rutian twi'lek promised to give Harry a severe scolding when she reached him, especially when he was using his animal form that was coincidentally, similar to the long extinct but still revered symbol by the star system– the Corellian falcon.

ooo

Harry couldn't help but shout in delight as the thermal updrafts took him higher up the valley, with minimal adjustments from his wings and tail feathers to control his direction. This was definitely the best view of the majestic mountain peaks and the valley below. The animagus decided to circle the valley once more before he decided to come back and wake up Aayla.

In the city, locals and tourists alike stopped as they heard a most unusual screech above them, echoing from the mountains. A few stopped and gasped once they spotted a single figure soaring above them, and those with scopes and binoculars immediately focused on the black shape silhouetted against the morning sun.

In a span of a few minutes, the Corellian population was abuzz with excitement at the return of the symbol of their people, long thought extinct and never to be seen except in holo projectors and pictures. Yet, one now flew in the valley, majestic and proud, a truly fitting symbol for the Corellian people.

While most just enjoyed watching the sleek bird of prey, a few headed to their repulsors, intent on capturing the falcon that they knew would fetch a substantial amount of credits in the black market.

Harry had just completed a circle and headed towards the direction of the private resort when his sharp vision caught sight of a few craft skinning the tree tops of the Corellian forest. He almost lost his concentration as a craft suddenly flew past, its turbulence wreaking havoc on his wings. He glanced to his right and noticed a craft flying beside him, with what appeared to be a half a dozen on board aiming strange looking gadgets at him.

He tucked his wings closer to his body and swooped towards the ground. He could see a couple of crafts circling above him, and before he hit the trees, he spread his wing and slowed down, barely skimming the leaves and branches.

Harry thought that he had lost his pursuers as he darted past the trees and branches when he spotted a bright red craft dart past him and began dropping strange looking poles to the ground. He quickly turned again and flew lower, hoping to avoid the ships by hiding under the cover of the trees.

His keen eyesight spotted a pair of the strange poles similar to the ones dropped by the ship earlier and he made sure to keep a safe distance from them. Just as he flew past the two poles, he immediately felt his whole body trapped in a strange field, and he could see strange blue wisps of energy enveloping his body.

The animagus tried to struggle, but it was if he was petrified by a curse. He tried to open his beak and flap his wings, but to no avail. He spotted movement in the bushes and glared as a man appeared in front of him, wearing a large smile on his face.

"...yeah, I got it! I'm tellin' you, I'm not joking! I'm standing here staring at it." The man was wearing goggles and appeared to be talking to someone using his communicator attached to his wrist.

His captor peered closer at him and with a valiant struggle Harry tried to move his talons closer to the man's face. The man leaned back after a moment and laughed. "...yeah, it doesn't appear to have any injuries. Fierce looking bird it is, a proper symbol for Corellia."

Harry noticed that the strange energy limiting his movement appeared to be coming from the tip of the two poles he passed, and he tried to formulate a plan for his escape. Hopefully Aayla was still sleeping- she would be surely mad at him if she ever found out about this. If the man deactivated his trap to transport him, he could easily transform and change the man's memories.

"I told you a ray field would work, it's much better than that plan of yours with the stun net... No, I don't want to sell it to the hutts. The Diktat would pay a hefty price, and I'll be famous!" His trapper chuckled. "Yeah, we will both be famous. It's damn lucky we were already on the area hunting, who knew an extinct falcon would appear?"

Harry was beginning to feel nervous about his predicament. He only wanted to fly for a bit, unable to resist the beautiful mountains that surrounded him. He first thought it was a simple and harmless idea, but now it appeared that he was risking the lives of his allies, and most importantly Aayla, with his carelessness.

He heard a sound above him, and suddenly a large branch came crashing down on top of one of the poles from where the strange energy came from. The blue wisps of energy binding him ceased and he fell to the ground, flapping his wings on the way down.

"What the..." As the man turned around, a blue figure landed on top of him hard, instantly knocking him out. Harry immediately transformed and stood up, only for the color to drain from his face at the sight of an extremely annoyed rutian twi'lek.

"Aayla..." Harry began, only to stop as his lover stalked towards him, her eyes watching him intently until she finally reached him.

"You!" The twi'lek jabbed a finger painfully on his chest, her gold brown eyes boring at his. "Don't you know how worried I was?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Harry said weakly.

Aayla quickly grabbed his wrist and led him away from trap, her eyes darting around the woods for other threats. Above them, they could hear the various sounds of engines of the ships, and they quickened their pace as they moved deeper into the forest.

Once they reached a secluded area deeper into the shadows of forest, Aayla spun around and pulled her lover to her, and she harshly whispered to his ear. "Back to our room, _now_."

Harry nodded and hugged Aayla's waist tightly. A soft pop later, the pair vanished as dozens of smaller craft and pleasure boats converged near the area, combing the forest for the elusive and highly prized bird of prey.

ooo

"Well?" Aayla asked, placing her hands on her hips as she regarded Harry. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Sorry?"

"Sit!" The twi'lek pointed to the couch and the powerful wizard instantly complied and quickly sat down, unable to meet her gaze. Aayla was truly formidable when she was annoyed.

"I know taught you better than that." Aayla said slowly, struggling to control her frustration. "Didn't you listen to any of the lectures Barriss and I gave you in preparation for this mission?"

"I did." Harry replied while looking at his knees. "I didn't realize that my animagus form would be such a big deal, since I saw a few other types of birds flying around yesterday. I just wanted to fly around for a bit..."

Aayla sighed and knelt down in front of Harry, taking his hands in hers and squeezing them tightly. She sometimes forgot that Harry was younger than she was, and not familiar with the technologies they used, despite the maturity he showed in numerous occasions. Even though he displayed strong commitment to help the Jedi's cause and his show of devotion to her, he also made mistakes from time to time.

She knew Harry was impulsive at times, and as stubborn as her old master when an idea formed in his head. She guessed that she did not give him specific instructions regarding his unique animal shape shifting ability, since he rarely used it and only she knew about that particular skill. Still, he could have shown more common sense and self preservation... she had almost lost him and it frightened her.

"No more flying without asking me." Aayla said sternly, forcing Harry to look at her by grabbing his chin and tilting his face towards her direction. "Got it?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "Again, sorry."

"Idiot. Don't do stupid stunts like that again." Aayla replied softly. Looking at her lover's face, the frown on her lips gradually eased, and she rose up and sat on his lap. Her fingers combed through his messy hair, confident that Harry had learned his lesson.

The force willing, the twi'lek hoped that the stir Harry had caused wouldn't disturb the highly secretive meetings that would start later in the day.

ooo

Mon Mothma tightened the hood she wore as the strong mountain winds buffeted her pristine white robe. The senator from Chandrila walked down the ramp extended by the transport ship, followed by a few of her trusted aides.

After weeks spent inside the artificial atmosphere of ships, the strong cold wind from the mountains was a refreshing change, and a serene smile crossed her face despite feeling the icy sting. She took a look around the venue of their meetings and noted that the compound was well away from the city proper. The vacation resort was comprised of one central building, and several smaller buildings she guessed were the guest rooms. Senator Garm Bel Iblis had chosen well in using this venue, since they had the privacy needed to conduct their negotiations properly.

Her aide gave a small cough and she followed her gaze, and noted what appeared to be the resort's manager approaching them. Their host assured them that the resort staff knew how to be discreet, and it showed when the man bowed and gave a simple greeting and introduced himself.

The man had balding hair, but a full white beard, but she noted that he had not asked for her name.

"Are there any guests that have checked in?" She asked.

"A couple checked in Unit eight a few days ago." The man replied instantly. "Other than that, the rest of the rooms are prepared, waiting for our esteemed guests."

"Thank you for your patience, manager..."

"Gim, Madam. Gim Al Etrum, at your service." The man said instantly. "I knew Senator Bel Iblis for many years, and it is my pleasure to welcome you here."

"Thank you, Manager Gim. I expect the rest of the guests to arrive shortly." Mon Mothma gave the manager a smile and accepted the keys to her own lodgings. She and her staff followed the man through a simple stone path, all the while admiring the view of the mountains that surrounded them.

"Here we are." Gim stopped in front of a pleasant looking two story structure with a balcony. "This is unit seven. Would you like a tour of your new accommodations?"

"I'm sure I can manage." Mon replied.

"Very good madam. Please do not hesitate to call me if you need anything."

Mon Mothma slid the card key into the slot, causing the door to slide open. What she saw inside truly impressed her. When Senator Garm Bel Iblis told her that their venue wouldn't be as luxurious as the ones they were used to in Coruscant, she had expected basic accommodations.

What she now saw, caused her to smile. The room was obviously well taken care of, with tasteful wood decorations, comfortable looking couches and large windows. She wondered how the Corellian Senator knew of this place and decided that she would ask him later when he arrived.

"I'll take your luggage to your room?" Her aide asked.

"Please." Mon nodded as she inspected a wooden sculpture that was beside the couch. Technically, she was still the official Senator of Chandrila, despite her now fugitive status after Imperial Intelligence released a warrant of her arrest.

As a show of support, the Chandrilan government refused to name a new senator, and instead sent a representative to take her place in the Imperial Senate.

"What do you prefer to eat for a late lunch senator?" Her other aide asked. "I just inspected the kitchen, and it's fully stocked."

Mon noticed the light in the cottage next to hers, and decided to consult with her Jedi allies. She was also curious about meeting Aayla again, having met the rutian twi'lek a few times during the course of the clone wars. Those few meetings left a deep impression on the Chandrilan senator, and she found Aayla Secura a truly formidable Jedi.

Her close friendship with senator Amidala gave her an unrivaled knowledge in Jedi politics, and knew Aayla was among the few who were more or less considered troublesome for they sometimes disregarded the Jedi code.

"Prepare additional food for two guests who will be eating with us." Mon instructed, moving to the door. "I'll be back shortly."

ooo

"It's good to see you, Senator."

"It's also good to see you, Master Secura." Mon returned the smile given by the Jedi knight.

The rutian twi'lek that now stood in front of her was as striking as she remembered a few years ago when they met on Coruscant. Tall, lithe and with eyes full of intensity and inner strength, the Jedi knight's presence always made her (and the other humanoid females she knew) uncomfortable regarding their own physique.

"Please come in." Aayla stood back to allow Mon Mothma to step inside. "We've been expecting you to arrive earlier. I'm afraid the food we've prepared for you is now cold, but I could ask the resort's staff to bring something."

"Please, you didn't have to." Mon replied, sitting down on the couch. "The traffic towards this city was heavier than I expected. It seems that what was a previously thought extinct avian species had shown itself around the mountains of Bela Vista. It's all over the local Holonet news, and tourists are flocking from all over."

"Yes, it was all the staff could talk about this morning." Aayla replied, her eyes travelling to a door leading to bedroom.

"This unexpected event is good for the meeting." Mon continued. "It's the perfect cover for this conference."

Aayla smiled. Harry's rash action had turned out better for everyone after all. "When will Senator Organa and Senator Bel Iblis arrive?"

"With the unexpected traffic heading into Corellia and particularly this city, I expect they will arrive before or during dinner." Mon answered. "As far as everyone knows, Bail is in his secluded vacation home in Corellia with his family, while Senator Garm is still in Coruscant, preparing for his privileged speech."

"Are you expecting any problems in this conference?" Aayla asked, seating down opposite the Chandrilan senator.

"A few." Mon nodded. "Bail and I have already agreed on my proposal, so this is just a formality, but convincing Garm is the highest priority for us. These talks must be successful, since we three must present a unified front if we are to convince the other leaders of our cause."

"And with the show of the Jedi's support, you expect Senator Garm Bel Iblis to agree." Aayla finished.

"Yes, we cannot yet move into the open, but the foundation for this rebellion rests on this initial conference. Corellia is a powerful ally, and Alderaan alone has enough political pull to sway a handful of worlds."

"The soul of the Republic." Aayla agreed. While many view Coruscant as the capital and premiere trading hub of the galactic republic before its fall, Alderaan was regarded as its soul, with the moral authority that previous Chancellors even deferred to in a critical matter. It was a fitting title for the planet, with its largely unspoiled natural beauty, standing in stark contrast to the overdeveloped and artificial Coruscant. It was a reminder for many republic citizens of their roots, and it also served as a model planet that many world governments aspire to become.

Mon Mothma looked at her watch and stood up, and Aayla followed her actions. "I've instructed my aides to prepare a late lunch for us, and I'm feeling famished. Would you like to join us Aayla?"

"I'll be glad to..." Aayla's reply was cut off when Harry entered the room, busy adjusting the straps of his vest. It was obvious that he had just finished taking a bath, since his hair was still damp, and his face was flushed.

"Aayla, mind taking a look if I've done this properly?" Harry said, unaware of their guest. "I can't seem to tighten it..."

The wizard paused, finally noticing the woman with short hair looking at him with a curious expression. "Uh... hi?"

Mon Mothma's blue eyes regarded the newly arrived human male and a smile formed on her lips, amused at his frazzled appearance. She was not privy to how many Jedi had managed to survive the purge, and she only knew that Aayla and another knight were being sent by Yoda as a show of the Jedi's support to her cause.

"Hello." She replied to his greeting with a curt bow.

"Harry, this is Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila." Aayla said, moving beside Harry. "Senator, this is my partner, Harry Potter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Potter." Mon said, taking note that the twi'lek didn't introduce the young man as her padawan, nor state his rank within the order. She also noticed Aayla's hand around his waist, and he appeared to be used to the possessive gesture.

"Just Harry, senator."

"Harry then." Mon nodded, "I thank the both of you for coming all the way here, despite the danger posed by the Empire."

The Chandrilan senator arched one eyebrow when she saw Aayla turn towards Harry, stepping even closer to him. The familiar manner with which the twi'lek helped her partner made Mon wonder if there was more to their partnership. Her curiosity was piqued when Harry gently stroked Aayla cheek with the back of his hand and gave the rutian twi'lek a warm smile before facing her again.

Certainly, this was no ordinary Jedi-padawan team. What she saw was a lover's caress, and judging by the small smile on Aayla's face, they were already intimate with each other. She wondered if the twi'lek was willing to share her story during their late lunch. After all, even if Mon Mothma was considered by many of her peers as one of the sharpest minds in the galaxy, she was still a woman, and women loved their gossip.

ooo

ooo

_**GALACTIC HOLONET NEWS!**_

_Emperor Palpatine, leader of our glorious Empire recently proposed to the Galactic Senate the Tarkin Doctrine. This doctrine will pave the way for total peace and security in our Glorious Empire._

_The Tarkin Doctrine, also known as the_ _**Imperial Communiqué #001044.92v**_, _was initially proposed by Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin of Eriadu._

_The Tarkin Doctrine contains revolutionizing ideas and here are some of its contents:_

_Oversectors will be established over Systems that have a high crime rate, rebellion or have supported the Confederation of Independent systems. These Oversectors will disregard existing territorial and cultural boundaries. Each Sector will be overseen by a Moff personally assigned by the Emperor himself._

_Communications centers will be distributed to every ship and station to improve communications with the Empire Center._

_The systems that continue to rebel will be ruled through fear of force rather than fear itself. Oversector groups or combination of oversector groups will remain the deterrent and if needed, deliver the threat against these systems._

_Research and Development of more powerful Starships and weapons to inspire fear into these Crime infested systems. _

_**Imperial Senate Votes on Renaming Coruscant as the Imperial Center!**_

_Coruscant, the center of our Glorious Empire is now officially called the Imperial Center as of 0600 galactic standard time. The planet is the known center of the galaxy as it hosts headquarters of thousands of intergalactic companies, weapons manufacturers and traders and a vital trade route towards outer systems._

_The planet is also the official residence of Emperor Palpatine and his official home is the Imperial Building, formerly known as 500 Republica._

_**Moff Wilhuff Tarkin promoted to a Grand Moff by Emperor Palpatine!**_

_A grand ceremony this morning promoted Wilhuff Tarkin to a Grand Moff, the highest military position in our glorious Empire. This position gives Tarkin an equal rank with Lord Vader, the Emperor's apprentice. Wilhuff Tarkin is known as a brilliant commander and a master Tactician, proving himself countless times in hundreds of operations before and during the clone wars._

_Wilhuff_ _ Tarkin is a long time acquaintance of Emperor Palpatine. As Chancellor, Palpatine immediately assigned Tarkin a military governor position in recognition of his talents and ruthlessness against enemies._

ooo

Captain Galven of the CR90 Imperial Corvette _Harbinger _tapped his fingers on the arm rest of his command chair in boredom. It was missions like these that he hated, since cargo duty tended to be monotonous and boring for the newly promoted captain.

He preferred serving in the _Resolute_, at least the clones and officers that served in the task force flagship were competent and efficient. His current crew consisted of twenty clones of questionable quality and ten, newly graduated officers from the Imperial Academy.

The shinies, as he and the armies had come to call untested clones, were noticeably less disciplined than their older counterparts. They had instantly obeyed his orders, but the manner in which they carried them was different from the regular clones he was used to commanding.

Galven wanted to decline the promotion, but there was no other choice, and it was Admiral Yularen himself that suggested that he take command of a corvette of his own.

While the outer circle fleet patrolled the planet systems that defected to the separatists, Galven was assigned logistics duty, conducting supply runs from imperial supply bases and back to the fleet.

Two days earlier, he was ordered to pick up a classified cargo guarded by a detachment of the famous 501st legion in Mustafar. The cargo was to be delivered straight to the Imperial Center at fast as possible.

"Uhh... captain?"

"What is it?" Galven asked. So far, this mission had been the most uneventful he had experienced since being promoted to captain a month ago. He knew the route they were taking was often patrolled by Imperial warships, and his ship was powerful and fast enough to deal with any pirates.

"I'm detecting a large ship heading towards us." The lieutenant replied.

Galven immediately stood up and walked over to the lieutenant's station. "Can you identify it?"

"It's too big for any pirate ship Captain." The inexperienced lieutenant adjusted a few of his sensors, and his face brightened. "I got it sir! It's an Acclamator class warship!"

"It's probably a patrol ship." Galven mused, moving back to his command chair. "I thought only Venator class cruisers were assigned to patrol this region though."

"It's almost beside us." The lieutenant reported. The bridge crew looked to their left and saw the enormous bulk of the Acclamator class ship moving past them.

"Try hailing them, and send our security codes." Galven ordered, by now familiar to Imperial navy protocol.

"There's something wrong sir." His communication's officer said. "I can't send the signal!"

The corvette suddenly shook violently, sending those unaware to a painful collision with the durasteel floor and walls. Captain Galven managed to stay on his seat as the _Harbinger_ dropped out of hyperspace.

"Sir, that ship just disabled our engines!" His lieutenant cried out. "Why are they shooting at us!"

"Fool!" Galven snarled at his inexperienced communications officer, thinking that he had been to slow to send out a signal. He was about to move to the communications station when the ship shook again, and this time he could see through the transparisteel windows pieces of his cannons floating away.

"Sir! They just disabled our weapons..."

"Shut it!" Galven elbowed the communications officer out of his station and ignoring his executive officer. He frowned when he noticed that the ship's transmitters were unable to detect any other frequencies. His eyes widened when he realized they were being jammed!

They heard a heavy thud, and the ship shook once more, though it wasn't as violent as the one before. Galven was extremely familiar with the strange sound. It meant that the renegade warship's crew was boarding them.

He ordered his entire crew and the clones with him to hold off anyone trying to board them. The corridor was narrow, and he knew they could hold off whoever was coming through while hoping another Imperial ship noticed their predicament. His communications officer was still on the bridge trying to send out a distress beacon.

The main hatch suddenly slid open in a burst of smoke and dust, and Captain Galven ordered his men to open fire.

Red bolts streamed through the just opened hatch, but his eyes widened when he saw a green beam of light appear suddenly, deflecting back them back to his men. One by one they fell, and the remaining few hid in their covers, terrified to be hit.

Captain Galven stepped back when he heard the familiar hum of controlled plasma cutting through the air and he gasped as the smoke cleared, revealing a terrifying sight.

"Jedi!" He whispered. He pointed his handgun at the traitors of the empire and fired, only to fall down dead as his fire was ruthlessly deflected back to him. It happened so fast that the Galven had not been able to comprehend what had happened, as he suddenly felt a burning sensation on his shoulder.

"I want prisoners." The Jedi declared. Behind the Jedi knight, men in blue combat uniforms, along with some with the white armor with maroon stripes similar to those worn by clone troops stormed the corridor.

Rahm Kota glanced at the Imperial officer moaning in pain while the Antarian Rangers made a sweep of the ship, the scars on his face prominent due to the frown he was wearing.

Captain Galven suddenly felt himself being lifted by an unseen force, before he was slammed hard into the wall, a strong firm hand holding his neck while his feet dangled in the air.

Rahm Kota ignored the screams from the man, and leaned closer. He wasn't feeling merciful these days, after what these men did to his Jedi brothers and sisters. He forced the man's eyes to meet with his, and used the force to dominate the officer's mind. "Tell me everything."

ooo

ooo


End file.
